Manchester CityReal MadridRMAMCI
UEFA Champions League – matchday 2 – 17/04/24 – 21:02
timeiconplayerhomeTimehomeIconhomePlayerscoreawayPlayerawayIconawayTime
12′
Rodrygo
0 – 1
Rodrygo
12′
76′
Kevin De Bruyne
76′
Kevin De Bruyne
1 – 1
Manchester City will not succeed themselves in the Champions League. Kevin De Bruyne first saved the English top favorite from an exit against Real Madrid by scoring the vital equalizer in minute 76, but afterwards City did not find a second goal (also in extra time). Real proved deadly efficient in the penalty shootout.
Manchester City – Real Madrid in a nutshell:
- Key moment: A few minutes after his equalizer, De Bruyne, assisted by Akanji, gets an excellent opportunity to give City the lead and finally count out a Real that is on the verge of cracking. The Red Devil misses the opportunity, Real survives.
- Man of the match: If one man had a standout match, it was Antonio Rüdiger. The German provided an assist for De Bruyne with an unfortunate intervention on a cross from Doku, left the score 1-2 at the end of the first extra time and ultimately converted the decisive penalty.
- Striking: Real Madrid continues a strong tradition. For the sixth time, the Spanish record champion manages to eliminate the defending champion in the knockout phase of the Champions League.
Rodrygo gives Real a perfect start
The first leg in the Bernabéu provided a thrilling spectacle and, after an unlikely rollercoaster, a 3-3 draw. Expectations were high for the new clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, but both teams started the match at a snail’s pace.
Yet an early opening goal came out of nowhere, initiated by a wonderful move from Bellingham. On a cue from Vinicius, Rodrygo first aimed at Ederson from close range, but the replay was successful.
City, this time with a fit De Bruyne in the starting line-up, had to get to work. Haaland came close to making it 1-1: his header hit the crossbar and Bernardo Silva was too surprised to score the rebound.
The home team systematically increased the pressure, without really causing Real problems. De Bruyne tried to force it, but Real goalkeeper Lunin was always the spoilsport with both his crosses and long shots. Moreover, City continued to pay attention to Real’s razor-sharp counters, with Vinicius always playing a leading role.
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Doku and De Bruyne do it for City
City continued their hunt for the equalizer relentlessly after half-time, with Lunin immediately having to respond to Grealish’s volley. Nacho almost gave the home team a helping hand. With Haaland at his back, he dribbled past his own goalkeeper, but was able to turn the ball into a corner just before the goal line.
Real could not escape the pressure and the equalizer was in the air, but the visitors held on. From an acute angle, Grealish aimed the ball through Carvajal’s legs, but not past Lunin.
Twenty minutes before the end, Guardiola brought Doku into the fray and that turned out to be a golden move. With his typical acceleration, the substitute reached the back line and his cross was unfortunately cleared by Rüdiger, right at the feet of De Bruyne. He drove the ball high into the goal from close range: 1-1, thanks to a 100 percent Belgian goal.
De Bruyne had a taste for it. A good long shot went just wide and ten minutes before the end he had an excellent opportunity to make it 2-1. After some good preparatory work by Doku, De Bruyne was able to take a shot from close range on Akanji’s cross, but he aimed over.
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City fails in penalty shootout
City cut their teeth on Real and so we went to extra time at the Etihad Stadium. The first became a measure for nothing, although the sting was almost in the tail. On a pass from Brahim Diaz, Rüdiger was suddenly able to take a free shot from close range, but the German showed why he is a defender and not an attacker.
The second extra time yielded even less and so a nerve-wracking penalty shootout had to decide. Kovacic and Bernardo Silva, with an incredibly bad penalty, failed for City, while at Real only Modric missed. Rüdiger, of all people, sent Real to the semi-finals with the decisive penalty.
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