Super City secure UCL final spot with stunning win over Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola’s side completed an incredible 4-0 win in a pulsating second leg at the Etihad Stadium to complete a 5-1 aggregate semi-final victory.

Bernardo Silva scored twice in the first half before a Manuel Akanji header and Julian Alvarez’s late strike confirmed a wonderful win over the 14-times winners of the trophy.

It prompted huge celebrations as the City players enjoyed a lap of honour after securing a place in the final where we will now face Italian side Inter Milan.

What happened

The tie was delicately balanced following the 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu eight days earlier and Pep Guardiola selected the same starting line-up for the second leg.

While there were plenty of nerves amongst fans before kick-off, the atmosphere was raucous as the players emerged onto the Etihad pitch to an incredible noise.

And the players maintained their composure as they dominated the opening moments high up the pitch and forced the reigning champions back into their own half.  

After early opportunities for Haaland and Rodrigo that failed to test Thibaut Courtois, the Madrid keeper was called into action in the 12th minute to make a brilliant save to keep out Haaland’s close-range header before David Alaba scrambled the loose ball off the line.

And the Belgium keeper made an even better save from Haaland in the 21st minute when he somehow tipped his goalbound header around the post.

But Courtois was finally beaten just over 60 seconds later when City’s incisive passing cut through Madrid’s defence again.

De Bruyne’s pass found Bernardo with space in the box and the winger sent Courtois the wrong way, beating him at his nearpost.

The visitors tried to catch City on the break but Kyle Walker was quick out of the blocks to stop the dangerous Vinicius Junior and Ederson was alert to cut out a throughball to Karim Benzema.

Madrid’s first effort came 10 minutes before the break with a thunderous 25-yard strike from Toni Kroos struck the crossbar after a slight touch from Ederson.

And City made them pay seconds later, when Jack Grealish linked up with Ilkay Gundogan in the Madrid box and when the German’s effort was deflected, Bernardo delicately looped a header over Alaba who had retreated to his goal-line.

Madrid tried to establish a foothold in the game at the start of the second half with Carlo Ancelotti pushing his full-backs further up the pitch.

And Ederson was at his best to tip over a swerving, dipping free-kick from Alaba five minutes after the restart.

City continued to push for a third with Grealish a constant menace and forcing Madrid into a handful of fouls whenever he threatened.

Haaland was to be denied once again by Courtois when he raced onto Gundogan’s backheel but his shot flicked off the keeper’s boot and onto the crossbar.

But a third came in the 77^th minute when De Bruyne’s dangerous free-kick was turned in by Akanji after initially being awarded to Madrid defender Eder Militao.

The Spanish side continued to push and Ederson made a double save to keep them out but it was City that added the icing on the cake.

Alvarez sprinted onto Phil Foden’s pass and the striker calmly slotted the ball past Courtois with the minimum of fuss.

The full-time whistle was not too far away and there were joyous celebrations on the pitch and in the stands as we sealed a place in the Champions League final for a second time.

Player of the match

It was a breathless performance from every member of the City side in a non-stop 90 minutes from the Blues.

Bernardo typified that spirit, whether it was in the opening minutes when he repeatedly drove at Eduardo Camavinga or in the second half when he chased down the threat of a break from a City corner.

But of course his goals were all-important and he took both of them brilliantly.

Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, was in sublime form in a personal battle with Haaland, making three astonishing saves.

He was finally beaten by the Portuguese winger when he found space in the box to fire a shot in at the nearpost and send the Etihad wild.

The second was calmness personified when he steadied himself to loop a header over Alaba.

BERNARDO SILVA REACTION

“With our people we’re always very strong. They were amazing once again today. They helped us get momentum to go after Madrid. We know how tough they are. Even in the second half they pushed us and could have scored.

“We were very resilient, very passionate and organised at the same time, I’m so happy with this performance.

“I think my performance in Madrid was not the one I wanted, and I wanted to compensate that. I didn’t feel very good at all after the first game.

“Today I had to do better for my teammates and the fans, and thats what I tried to do. I’m very happy to help them. I’m very good with my head! I’m small but very good with my head.”

PEP GUARDIOLA REACTION

 “At home we feel incredible comfort with our people.

“I had the feeling that we had one year being in our stomach what happened last season. I think today everything went out of what we had, it was so painful last season [losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League].

“When the people say lack of character in these players but during one year we showed how special a group of players these are.

“When you reach the final of the Champions League you have to celebrate. Unfortunately we won’t have time because Sunday we can win the Premier League. Tomorrow will be with our families then prepare for Sunday.

“A final against an Italian team is not the best gift, honestly. They are competitive. This victory will get a lot of compliments but we have time to prepare mentally.”

Teams

CITY: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji, Rodrigo, Gundogan (Mahrez 79), De Bruyne (Foden 84), Bernardo, Grealish, Haaland (Alvarez 89).

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Laporte, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis.

REAL MADRID: Courtois, Carvajal (Vazquez 80), Militao, Alaba, Camavinga (Tchouameni 80), Valverde, Kroos (Asensio 70), Modric (Rudiger 63), Vinicius, Rodrygo (Ceballos 80), Benzema.

Subs: Lunin, Vallejo, Nacho, Hazard, Odriozola, Mendy, Mariano.

What it means

City will now face Italian side Inter Milan in the Champions League final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.

The game on Saturday 10 June will now be our final match of the season with kick-off scheduled for 20.00 (UK).

It will be the second time City will play in the final following our first appearance in 2021 when we were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Chelsea.

What’s next

The big games keep coming and we have the chance to secure a third successive Premier League title when we face Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday 21 May at 16.00 (UK).

Victory over Frank Lampard’s side would guarantee the Premier League trophy although it would already be won if Arsenal are beaten by Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.