Manchester City 4-0 Real Madrid (agg: 5-1): Champions League ...
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Jonathan Liew on City's perfectionPep Guardiola speaks ...“At home we feel incredibly comfortable in front of our people,” he tells BT Sport. “I have a feeling that for one year we had a fear in our stomach about what happened last season but today we went out with everything we had. Last season was so painful and people say it was lack of character but one year later we show just how special these players are. Congratulations to our chairman, our owner and every last person [in our organisation] because they work with a real purpose and now we are there [in the final].”
Manchester City v Real Madrid player ratings ...Jamie Jackson marks the players out of 10, chucking eights and nines around like confetti when judging the performances of those from Manchester City. Spare a thought for poor old Erling Haaland, who had to make do with a seven on Norway Day.
Kyle Walker joins the chat ...“I’m glad it looked comfortable from up there,” he says in response to a question about how easy the first half looked for City from the studio up in the stands. “Listen, it’s tough. It’s always going to be tough. I think the emotions sometimes take hold of you. I was a little ‘Phew, how is this going to go?’ I thought the lads dug in well, controlled the ball really well, especially in the first half. I think in the second half we were a little bit sloppy when we came out, giving the ball away in areas where we shouldn’t. Listen, we got over the line and that’s the main thing.”
Jack Grealish talks to BT Sport ...“It’s unbelievable,” he says. “We spoke last week after the game and I was buzzing then just to be involved … well, not to be involved because that makes me sound like a youth team player. I mean just to be in the moment, man … it’s so nice. And now a week later I’m standing here again and it’s 4-0. I don’t think a lot of teams would do that to Real Madrid.
“I swear, man … you know when we’re all together and we’re just playing and stuff, especially here? We just feel unstoppable, honestly. I don’t know what it is. I seen a stat the other day about Champions League games, concerning the amount we’ve won at home compared to away. I think we’ve drawn five in the Champions League away this season but we’ve won every game at home. I don’t know what it is, whther it’s the fans or the pitch, but playing here we just feel nobody can beat us.”
Champions League semi-final second leg: “It was not even close, which was surely the most impressive thing from Manchester City’s point of view as they roared into the Champions League final; another step closer to ultimacy, immortality.” Read David Hytner’s match report from the Etihad Stadium …
City celebrate: The stands remain packed and Manchester City’s players have been celebrating in the centre-circle, where Erling Haaland is celebrating Norway Day by draping himself in his home country’s national flag. They could be celebrating again on Saturday evening, as Bernardo Silva has just said they are determined to win the Premier League in front of their home fans with a victory over Chelsea. They may not even need to win. If Nottingham Forest can beat Arsenal earlier in the day, City will be crowned champions without kicking a ball.
Bernardo Silva speaks ...“It’s a beautiful night for us,” he tells BT Sport. “We knew it was going to be tough but to beat this Madrid team 4-0 at home it was wonderful. It’s a wonderful feeling to be in the final again and hopefully this time we can try to win it.”
On his own display: “My performance in the first leg in Madrid wasn’t the one I wanted and I wanted to try to compensate for that because I didn’t feel very good at all after the first game. Today I had to do better for my team-mates, for the fans and that’s what I tried to do.”
On scoring with a headxer: “I’m very good with my head,” he says with a laugh. “I’m small but I’m good with my head.”
On facing Inter in the final: “I watched the game yesterday and they’re a very organised team. I watched the games also against Barcelona and Munich in the group stage … and Benfica, because it’s my team. They look very organised defensively and quiclk going in the counter-attack … set-pieces. It’s going to be tough but we’re going to try it.”
A quick recap: A first-half brace from Bernardo Silva along with an own goal from Eder Militao and the cherry on top from Julian Alvarez did for Real Madrid, who can consider themselves lucky to not to have been beaten by a lot more. Thibaut Courtois pulled off several sensational saves to keep the score down, while his opposite number Ederson was only forced into action on a couple of occasions. The Brazilian saved a rasping drive from Toni Kroos and a David Alaba free-kick.
Full time: Man City 4-0 Real Madrid (agg: 5-1)Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at the Etihad Stadium, where Real Madrid have been humbled by a Manchester City side who have rarely played better. Pep Guardiola and his men will travel to Istanbul for the Champions League final against Inter in 24 days time.
GOAL! Man City 4-0 Real Madrid (agg 5-1) (Alvarez 90+1)Ah here! Rodri plays a short pass inside to Phil Foden, whose first-time ball in behind is seized upon by Julian Alvarez. He slots past Courois, who immediately gets to his feet and berates defenders who were doing passable imitations of statues.
89 min: Some neat interplay between Foden and Grealish comes unstuck when Lucas Vazquez charges in to win the ball. Manchester City substitution: Julian Alvarez on for Erling Haaland, who will go to bed tonight wondering how on earth he didn’t score. Thibaut Courtois made two or three excellent saves to deny him, the first of which bordered on the downright astonishing.
87 min: Real Madrid press forward in search of a consolation goal on what has been a miserable evening in their history. The reigning European champions have been totally outclassed by their hosts.
84 min: Phil Foden is on for Kevin De Bruyne, who was starting to look a bit tired. I think it was Rodrygo who made way for Ceballos.
82 min: Ederson denies Dani Ceballos, standing tall to block a rising drive from the recently introduced substitute … whose introduction I missed. Sorry about that.
80 min: Man City substitution: Riyad Mahrez on for Ilkay Gundogan, who jogs off to an ovation. Real Madrid substitutions: Aurelien Tchouameni and Lucas Vazquez on for Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Carvajal.
78 min: En masse, City’s supporters turn their backs to the action, put their arms around each other’s shoulders and “do the Poznan”.
GOAL! Man City 3-0 Real Madrid (agg: 4-1) (Militao 76og)Game, set and match, Manchester City! Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick from the left is flicked on by Manuel Akanji. His header takes a big deflection off Eder Militao and fizzes past Thibaut Courtois.
75 min: Eduardo Camavinga is penalised for a late challenge on Jack Grealish. His claims that he won the ball fall on deaf ears.
73 min: Oh my! Haaland exchanges passes with Gundogan, running on to a backheel from his skipper and finding himself clean through on goal. He looks certain to score from six years but is somehow denied by Courtois again. The goalkeeper makles himself big and manages to deflect the ball over the bar. Denied for a second time tonight, Haaland cannot believe he hasn’t scored.
71 min: Vinicius Jr goes to ground in the Manchester City penalty area claiming to have been pushed by John Stones. He’s chancing his arm and referee Szymon Marciniak is quite rightly having none of it.
70 min: Real Madrid substitution: Marco Asensio on for Toni Kroos.
67 min: Marcelo Bielsa was appointed Uruguay manager yesterday and if the great man has tuned in to this game to see how Federico Valverde is getting on, he could be forgiven for wondering if the midfielder is even on the pitch. Valverde has been totally anonymous tonight and is one of several Real players who are just strolling around the pitch waiting for somebody else to flick the switch and get them out of their current pickle.
65 min: The ball’s sent fizzing through the centre to Karim Benzema, whose touch on the half-turn lets him down.
62 min: Ilkay Gundogan is bookedd for a foul on Vinicisus Jr. Real Madrid substitution and it’s an interesting one: Antonio Rudiger on for Luka Modric. One presumes he’ll slot into ther heart of Real’s defence, Alaba will move to left-back and Camavinga will move further up the pitch to play alongside Toni Kroos.
60 min: Dani Carvajal recovers to steal the ball off the toe of Ilkay Gundogan as the Manchester City skipper shaped to shoot from seven yards after a ricochet off the left-back’s leg broke his way. It was a half-chance but Gundogan hadn’t time to sort his feet out.
59 min: Kyle Walker cuts out a cross aimed towards Benzema from the boot of Rodrygo. He’s been outstanding tonight, like most of City’s players.
57 min: Real Madrid have been considerably better in this half than the first but it’s a very low bar. They’re enjoying far more possession but not doing a great deal with it. If they could conjure up a goal from somewhere it would really spice things up.
55 min: Jack Grealish is dragged to the ground by Dani Carvajal as he tries to skip around him down the left wing. The Real Madrid right-back has his name taken and City have a free-kick wide on the left. Kevin De Bruyne’s delivery is cleared by Carvajal.
53 min: Kevin De Bruyne has just exchanged cross words with Pep Guardiola, apparently annoyed with his manager’s constant interference from the technical area. Pep takes the criticism on board and returns to his seat but is unlikely to stay in it for too long.
51 min: Ruben Dias is booked for a technical foul on Vinicius Jr; a “Fernandinho” if you will. Free-kick for Real Madrid, a few yards outside the City penalty area, in line with the right side of it. David Alaba’s dipping effort is saved superbly by Ederson. That was a ridiculously good shot by the Real Madrid defender.
51 min: Modric plays a cross-field diagonal to Dani Carvajal in space on the right side of the City penalty area. He’s dispossessed by Rodri.
49 min: A Bernardo Silva pass out wide to Jack Grealish is intercepted and Real Madrid break upfield. Silva nips any potential counter-attack in the bud with a lung-busting run to atone for his earlier error.
47 min: Real Madrid manage to string a few passes together and dominate possession in the very early stages of this second half. Rodri is fouled by Camavinga and City get a free-kick wide on the right.
46 min: Kyle Walker dispossesses Vinicius Jr with an excellent tackle and sends City on their way upfield again.
Second half: Man City 2-0 Real Madrid (agg 3-1)46 min: Play resumes, although given the mauling they were subjected to in the first half, Real Madrid’s players could have been forgiven for sneaking out of the stadium and heading to the airport.
City have been imperious and it will be fascinating to see what, if anything, the reigning champions can do to stop what seems their relentless march to next month’s final in Istanbul. There are no changes in personnel on either side … yet.
An email: “Thibaut Courtois and Bernardo Silva have been the outstanding players so far,” writes Colum Fordham. “Real have the class and guile to come back but City have been utterly dominant and the final should be City-Inter.”
“I was going to write that I feared this match might be like that Raiders of the Lost Ark scene where the guy with the sword does that incredible routine of fancy moves, but Indy pulls out a gun and settles it in a second (I see Modric in the Indy role),” writes Joe Johnson. “But clearly, now they’re a couple up, the swordsman has learnt a thing or two.”
Half-time: Manchester City 2-0 Real Madrid (agg 3-1)Peep! The players of both sides walk off for the break with City two goals to the good thanks to a brace from Bernardo Silva. If anything the scoreline flatters Real Madrid, who have been made to look extremely ordinary and have their goalkeeper to thank for preventing City from scoring more with a couple of outstanding saves.
45 min: Kevin De Bruyne picks out Jack Grealish in space at the far post but a poor touch from the City winger lets Real off the hook.
43 min: City’s players ping the ball around halfway inside the Real Madrid half, playing keep-ball with ease as their visitors chase shadows. This is a masterclass from City and Real Madrid incrfeasingly resemble a rabble. THere’ll be a serious half-time inquest in their dressing-room and it will be interesting to see how Carlo Ancelotti attempts to extricate his side from the mess in which they find themselves.
41 min: City win a free-kick wide on the right touchline. Kevin De Bruyne’s delivery is flat and put out for a corner. De Bruyne’s outswinger is headed clear, Real Madrid lump the ball forward and Kyle Walker mops up at the back for City.
39 min: While there was no Roberto De Zerbi style kneeslide down the touchline from Pep Guardiola as Bernardo Silva bagged his second goal of the night but City’s manager did go skipping down the side of the pitch, fist-pumping away to his heart’s content.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Real Madrid (agg: 3-1) (Silva 37)City double their lead! Real Madrid give the ball away and City advance upfield with Grealish on the ball. He plays it inside to Gundogan, whose shot is blocked by Courtois. The ball breaks to Silva, who heads it into the empty net from 12 or 13 yards out.
34 min: Real Madrid win a corner. Modric sends the ball into the City penalty area, where Militao wins the header but is unable to steer it goalwards. The ball is recycled and Toni Kroos unleashes a shot from distance. It’s on target but Ederson gets a fingertip to the ball and touches it on to the woodwork. At last, some signs of life from Real Madrid …
32 min: Real Madrid finally get an attack going and Rodrygo sends Benzema on his way with a pass off the outside of his right boot. Through on goal but chasing the ball, the Real captain is beaten to it by Ederson, who dashes out of his goal and smothers it on the edge of his area.
