Real Madrid End Man City’s Title Defence Hope

Title holders Manchester City are out of the UEFA Champions League following a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Real Madrid in their quarter-final second leg at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Madrid beat Man City 4-3 on penalties to progress to their 33rd Champions League semi-final.

Manchester City outplayed Real Madrid once more but this time they lacked the cutting edge and the arrogance and their Champions League reign came to an agonising end on penalties.

Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic were the culprits as they were thwarted by Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in the shootout after a 1-1 draw following 90 minutes and then extra-time.

City had done everything in their power to beat Madrid but couldn’t take their chances and when they most needed Erling Haaland they couldn’t turn to him as he had been hooked by Pep Guardiola after another disappointing showing in a crunch game, and Antonio Rudiger ended hopes of a double treble once and for all by sinking the 10th penalty.

In a reversal of the first leg, City fell behind in the ninth minute to a strike from Rodryro, their bete noir in this competition and who celebrated his fourth strike against Pep Guardiola’s side. Kyle Walker was the main culprit. City responded well, with Erling Haaland’s header hitting the bar and Bernardo Silva missing from the rebound.

They were even better after the break, boxing Madrid in and their pressure finally paid off when De Bruyne fired in after a botched clearance from Rudiger. The Belgian then missed a glorious chance to settle the game before 90 minutes were up.

The extra half hour was also a City monologue, save for a sitter missed by Rudiger, and so it was left to penalties to separate these two giants of the modern European game. Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Ederson, remarkably, did their part from the spot but Bernardo and Kovacic failed when it mattered most.