The third consecutive tie between Real Madrid y Manchester City It brought us the missing amount of suspense and vibration: a definition by penalties, uncertainty stretched as far as possible. The show between these two colossi is expanding its offering, the tension never decreases, the expectation is assured. That of 2022 was recorded by Madrid’s historic comeback at the Santiago Bernabéu. The following year, City swept 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium. From each series emerged the one who later became champion of the Champions League.
And now? Real Madrid, a gladiator in the 120 minutes to resist a City that attacked until exhaustion, but without the necessary punch, brought out another facet of a great team, which does not give vertigo to parade along the ledge of the penalties. He never wrinkles, his strong personality comes before everything. After 1-1, Carlo Ancelotti’s team – another notch in their formidable career – won 4-3. In semi-finals, the 33rd of its history, will meet Bayern Munich, another titan, which reached the previous stage of the final for the 22nd time after beating Arsenal 1-0.
Julian Alvarez He entered the supplementary. Pep Guardiola He sent him to the field after a fiery harangue, replacing Erling Haaland, that for the fourth match he could not score against Real Madrid. The Spider had to move in the middle of the rival’s thick defensive network. He unmarked himself, offered himself for the offloads and in the last play of the match he was able to get a shot, controlled by Lunin.
Álvarez had to start the series of penalties. He made it 1-0 with an open shot that he did not guess Andriy Lunin, became the great figure minutes later – at 120 he had already scored with several saves – by containing the shots of Bernard Silva (in the middle of the arch) and Mateo Kovacic. “It’s football. In another sport we would have won by statistics, but this is football. I don’t know what else we should have done to win. I congratulate Real Madrid for their ability to resist,” expressed a resigned Guardiola.
After Julián’s conversion, Ederson guessed Luka Modric’s shot. Manchester City was 1-0, but There is no abyss that Real Madrid does not know how to bridge.
Real Madrid extends the legend with new names that are incorporated into their exploits. The Ukrainian Lunin was the second goalkeeper of the squad, behind that wall that is Thibaut Courtois, who at the beginning of the season suffered a torn ligament in his knee and when he was about to reappear he injured his meniscus. Real Madrid did not trust the Ukrainian at first. He went out to the market and hired Kepa Arrizabalaga, transformed in 2018 into the most expensive goalkeeper in history with the 80 million euros paid by Chelsea.
The ex-Athletic Bilbao did not provide security, he lost his position, it passed into the hands of Lunin, who from third goalkeeper jumped to the starting position. And in Manchester he had his dream night. “It was my first 120-minute game in my career. We have suffered a lot, but with everyone’s efforts we took the game forward,” responded the goalkeeper, who joined Madrid in 2018 and was always in the background. Until this Wednesday.
Highlights of Manchester City 1 (3) – Real Madrid 1 (4)
Even without the feverish pace of the first leg, two great teams like Manchester City and Real Madrid are capable of putting together a great game playing at lower speeds, without uncontrolled transitions. They were studied from the start, even though they are known by heart. But genius always escapes forecasts and precautions. It is the one that breaks the molds and awakens astonishment. There were plenty of players with that inspiration. The first to put it into practice was Jude Bellingham, that with his right instep he literally slept a shot from Carvajal that fell from no less than 20 meters. He transformed a meteorite into a goal ball. The Englishman continued the action with a pass to Valverde, who saw Vinicius uncheck, automatically connected with his compatriot Rodrygo, author of a double shot for 1-0.
Was the fourth goal in seven games against Rodrygo’s City, emblem of the historic comeback two years ago at the Santiago Bernabéu. From the 12th minute onwards, a match became more defined for City’s monopolization of the ball and Real Madrid’s keen sense of counterattack. A very attractive arm wrestling match.
City tried to create numerical superiority inside with the raids of Akanji, sometimes pursued by Vinicius and other times by Bellingham. In that sector, the right, the English team managed to reach the bottom with De Bruyne’s runs. Goalkeeper Lunin and the central defenders had a lot of work. Without destroying it, City was insistent, attacking a rival that was closing in on the inside and had Carvajal in a hand-to-hand duel with Grealish.
Without many possibilities of penetrating with associated play through the middle, City circulated the ball until they were able to get centers in advantageous positions, without falling into desperation. His philosophy does not allow for confusion, it would go against his nature. Haaland was the lighthouse in the aerial search. In the first stage, a header from the Norwegian hit the crossbar and another went over the top. In Madrid, Bellingham, who acted as a midfielder in attack, a little behind Vinicius, sacrificed himself in the retreat to block the local passing circuit.
Real Madrid engaged in an organized and attentive defensive exercise. City missed Foden’s spark, who seemed to not find his place. The locals were a corner-making machine, a symptom of the defensive demands to which Madrid was subjected. The visiting counterattacks remained in insinuations, their attacking men retreated more and more.
City’s dominance was more pronounced in the second period. It was decidedly played in Madrid’s field, which was barely able to put together a reply with Valverde and Vinicius. Lunin’s saves were more frequent. Guardiola made a change without modifying the scheme: Jeremy Doku for Grealish, who had done a great job. Carvajal now had to stop the zigzagging Belgian winger, who in an overflow took a cross that was returned by a short rejection by Rudiger; The ball was just for De Buyne to define with a strong shot. 31 minutes had passed and City found a well-deserved prize, for which they had worked hard. De Bruyne, who had missed the first leg due to a stomach ailment, had the victory with two shots that went wide. The last play before extra time was a symbol of the 90 minutes: Corner No. 15 for City! Madrid only had the first 15 minutes into the first half of extra time, with a lead that put Rudiger in a position to score the second, but his shot went high. It had been a long time since Madrid had seen Ederson’s area.
From the 11th minute of extra time, Ancelotti’s team faced the remainder without forwards: Brahim Díaz, midfielder, replaced Rodrygo and the versatile Lucas Vázquez replaced Vinicius, who came out with a physical discomfort after a run in which he could not with the closing of the powerful Walker. In extra time, City maintained the initiative, but Madrid took a breather. A push for the penalties, luck that he also knows how to control: he won the last four, since 2016 (two for the Champions League and two for the Spanish Super Cup). Nothing that concerns football escapes the wisdom from Real Madrid.