ONE | system 04/18/2024 07:03
Newspaper headlines in Spain (screenshot)
Real Madrid handed Manchester City their first home loss in the Champions League since 2018. Although it happened on penalties and not in 90 minutes, the bottom line is that the European champions are away and the Blancos are in the semi-finals after 1:1 in 120 minutes and a victory in a penalty shootout in another chapter of the wonderful classic between the two biggest teams on the continent. The bad news for the Blancos is that Dani Carvajal will miss the first leg of the semi-final after receiving his third yellow of the season.
“Real Madrid is crazy. Long live the king,” wrote Marka, “Lonin expanded the legend of Real. The kings of Europe survived and there is no explanation for what happened in the Etihad except that there is a mystical power around the kings of Europe who managed to survive the trampling of the champion who had 33 attempts.”
Real players celebrate at the end (Reuters)
“Real never dies, Madrid the heroic, Lunin the heroic,” shouted the headline in ‘Ace’, “A memorable performance by the goalkeeper. There is a magic in Real Madrid that you simply cannot beat in Europe. No team has won so many times without being the better team so many times. Courage helped Real get out of the Etihad alive.”
“We must not forget what Nacho and Lucas and Essex did. It’s a night after which they and Lunin and Rudiger should get a contract for life. “Real invested 100 million euros last summer on Bellingham, but in the end, these four that no one thought to trust were the ones who made the difference,” Marca added.
“Only City can subdue Real for so many minutes in the Champions League, but again Madrid in the semi-finals when they took advantage of the penalties, their mystical territory, and increased the history of their unexpected victories,” said Sport, affiliated with Barcelona.
Eder Militau summed it up nicely: “Real Madrid – you don’t make sense.” Journalist Thomas Roncero wrote: “Real, thank you for existing. I love you to death.” Thibaut Courtois complimented Andrei Lunin, Iker Casillas, Marcelo and Mesut Ozil also praised the Blancos.
Vamoooos!!! Grande Lunin
— Thibaut Courtois (@thibautcourtois) April 17, 2024