A 4-3 penalty shootout victory sent Carlo Ancelotti's team into the semi-finals after the two teams drew 1-1 in the second leg of the quarter-finals and 4-4 after two legs.
Man City dominated in every aspect, with 64% possession and 33 shots on target compared to just eight for their opponents. However, the home side could not get the better of the score for most of the match. They conceded an early goal to Rodrygo and had to wait until late in the second half to equalise thanks to Kevin De Bruyne's close-range rebound.
Real players celebrate with Rudiger after the centre-back scored the decisive penalty. Photo: PA
The brief moment Man City took the advantage in the second leg of the quarter-final was when Luka Modric missed the first penalty, while Julian Alvarez completed his task. But shortly after, Bernardo Silva shot into the middle of the goal and was saved by Andriy Lunin. In the following rounds, Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, Nacho Fernandez and Antonio Rudiger all successfully converted for Real, while Man City only had Phil Foden and Ederson play well. Mateo Kovacic kicked out, causing the home team to lose. A sad memory for the Croatia midfielder in the reunion with his old club.
As Ederson took City's final penalty, Guardiola stood with his arms around his assistants in the technical area. The Spanish coach looked emotional at the prospect of elimination. This became a reality when Rudiger's final penalty hit the post and went into the net. Guardiola then went to shake hands and hug Ancelotti. City would not be able to repeat last year's treble and were eliminated from the Champions League despite being considered favourites to retain the title.
For Real, the victory was sweet revenge for their 5-1 aggregate defeat to Man City in last year's semi-final, including a 4-0 defeat at the Etihad. Once again, Real showed the mettle of a 14-time champions, capitalising on an early error from their opponents to take the lead thanks to a combination play between Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. Rodrygo needed two touches to beat Ederson, but the Brazilian had plenty of space to do so as Man City's defence left him behind.
De Bruyne's reaction after missing the chance to make it 2-1 for Man City in the 82nd minute. Photo: PA
Lunin, who has been a stand-in for Thibaut Courtois this season, was the main man in Real's victory. The Ukrainian goalkeeper was awarded the highest rating by Whoscored (9.3) after making eight saves in the match. Lunin was supported by a disciplined, determined and somewhat tough defense. In the final minutes of extra time, many Real players had almost no energy left to run, but they still stood firm against the stormy pressure from their opponents.
Man City can only blame themselves for missing so many chances. In the first half, Erling Haaland shook Real's goal with a header that hit the crossbar. The ball then bounced to Bernardo but the Portuguese midfielder was startled and could not handle it. Kevin De Bruyne twice shot dangerously from distance while Jack Grealish also had two dangerous shots in the box but both were blocked by Lunin. The most regrettable situation was probably Be Bruyne's miss at the end of the second half when he kicked the ball into the air from about 11m after a cross from Manuel Akanji.
The home team played relatively stalemate before equalizing 1-1. At that point, Guardiola's 72nd-minute substitution came into play. Jeremy Doku became Man City's main attacker on the left wing after replacing Grealish. It was the Belgian player who sparked the 1-1 equalizer when his dribble and cross confused Rudiger, creating conditions for De Bruyne to shoot back.
Man City players disappointed after losing in penalty shootout. Photo: Reuters
Doku's pace and ability to disrupt Real continued in extra time, but Man City were unable to capitalise on the midfielder's crosses. After Haaland left the pitch, Guardiola directed Foden to move into the centre to create cutting points inside with Alvarez. The England midfielder had a good chance when he received a cross from the left in a comfortable position but missed the target.
This is the 17th time Real have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, more than any other team. Their next opponent - Bayern - is second with 13 times. Real also have a great chance to reclaim the La Liga title, eight points ahead of Barca. As for Man City, they will focus on defending the Premier League title. Guardiola's team is two points ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool after 32 rounds. Man City will meet Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.
Quang Huy
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