How Real Madrid Ended Manchester City’s Champions’ League Dream

Manchester City’s hold on the Champions League was wrestled away by Real Madrid as they were beaten on penalties in a dramatic quarter-final at Etihad Stadium.

The holders recovered from going behind to Rodrygo’s early strike to lay siege to Real’s goal, finally equalising 14 minutes from the end of normal time when Kevin de Bruyne pounced on Antonio Rudiger’s clearance.

It was the least City deserved for their almost total domination but a lack of the finishing touch cost them as Real, despite being exhausted and mounting a desperate rearguard action, held out for spot-kicks.

City looked on course to meet Bayern Munich in the semi-final when Luka Modric missed Real’s first penalty but Bernardo Silva’s dreadful effort and another from substitute Mateo Kovacic were saved by keeper Andriy Lunin, leaving former Chelsea defender Rudiger to step up and clinch victory for the great Champions League specialists.

It ended City’s bid for another Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup – and they must now recover from this gruelling encounter to defend the latter in the semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

Lunin the hero for Real Madrid

Real goalkeeper Lunin has stepped into the breach impressively with the world-class Thibaut Courtois sidelined by injury, making amends for an error for Silva’s goal in the Bernabeu with a superb display here.

The Ukraine international, 23, did everything required as Real somehow stood firm in the face of a sustained City assault in the second half to keep manager Ancelotti on course for a fifth win in this competition.

Real were, literally in many cases, run to a standstill by the end of extra time but they are the great Champions League survivors and will once again believe they are destined to win the trophy having disposed of City.

And for England’s Jude Bellingham, it was another stage in his learning experience at this elite level, which can only benefit him for the rest of this season with Real and then for his country at Euro 2024.

Like the rest of his team-mates, Bellingham was made to suffer by City’s intensity but he still made two vital contributions.

The 20-year-old showed magnificent control in the build-up to Rodrygo’s goal and then stepped forward with confidence in the shootout to silence the jeers of the Etihad with a calmly converted penalty.

This was not Bellingham’s best night – but he still played his part.

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