Manchester City progressed to the final of the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to a 4-0 home win over Real Madrid, giving the Blues a 5-1 aggregate victory over two legs.
City were at their very best in the second leg and Madrid, the Champions League masters, simply could not deal with the hosts’ energy and fluidity. Bernardo Silva’s two goals in the first half gave Pep Guardiola’s side a commanding lead, before Eder Militao netted an own-goal after the break and Julian Alvarez grabbed a fourth in injury-time.
City started the game incredibly and overwhelmed Madrid with their precision passes and penetrative runs. In the opening quarter of the game, Thibaut Courtois had to be on hand to twice keep out Erling Haaland, with the second a spectacular diving save from the ex-Chelsea man.
Rodri, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne also had strikes from distance before the hosts got the game’s opening goal after 23 minutes. De Bruyne picked out Silva after he darted into the box, and the Portugal international sat Courtois down before placing it beyond the keeper at his near post.
Haaland then went close with a right-foot shot from outside the area before Toni Kroos offered a rare Real attack, when he smashed a shot off the bar from around 25 yards. It proved to be a huge moment in the game, as City grabbed a second just two minutes later.
Jack Grealish started the move when he fed the ball to Ilkay Gundogan inside the box. The midfielder’s shot was blocked by the foot of Eder Militao, spun up in the air, and was headed superbly into the back of the net by Silva, as the Etihad erupted once again.
In injury-time, Manuel Akanji’s shot was blocked by David Alaba, drawing to a close a half in which City played some sublime, relentless and frankly ludicrous football.
After the break, City remained on top but didn’t create the same number of scoring chances, and Alaba nearly found a way back into the game for Madrid when his free-kick was tipped over by Ederson.
Haaland could have added a third when he drove into the box, but his shot was saved by Courtois. When the next goal came it was a Madrid player who scored it, but Militao inadvertently turning the ball into his own net from a De Bruyne free-kick removed any faint hopes of a comeback.
In the 83rd minute, Ederson made a great double save to keep out Karim Benzema and Dani Ceballos, while in injury-time Alvarez slotted the ball past Courtois to grab a fourth. Here’s how we rated the City players...
City started the game incredibly and overwhelmed Madrid with their precision passes and penetrative runs. In the opening quarter of the game, Thibaut Courtois had to be on hand to twice keep out Erling Haaland, with the second a spectacular diving save from the ex-Chelsea man.