Manchester City missed out on a place in the Champions League final in the cruellest of fashion as they collapsed to a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
With 89 minutes on the clock, City were 1-0 up on the night and 5-3 up on aggregate thanks to Riyad Mahrez’s goal, and they looked all set for a date with Liverpool in Paris.
But Real Madrid and Rodrygo, who is the first player to score twice in the 90th minute in a Champions League match, had other ideas
But two stoppage-time goals from Los Blancos substitute Rodrygo took the tie to extra time. The equaliser was Real Madrid’s first shot on target of the second leg.
Real Madrid had all the momentum at that point and they won a penalty in the opening minutes of extra time after Karim Benzema was tripped up by Ruben Dias. Benzema coolly slotted home the resulting spot-kick.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who have made a name for themselves as comeback kings this season, will meet Liverpool in the showpiece final in Paris on May 28.
Meanwhile, City will be wondering how on earth they threw this one away as their wait for a first European crown goes on.
Before the stunning events of stoppage-time, City were good value for what appeared to be their certain win having caused Real Madrid’s shaky defence problems, while also nullifying Benzema and their dangerous attack very effectively.
In the first half, the visitors went close with Bernardo Silva’s snapshot, a curling effort from Gabriel Jesus and Phil Foden’s well-struck volley.
Casemiro was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch for a cynical pull down of Foden, having also chopped Kevin De Bruyne to the ground earlier on. Meanwhile, Aymeric Laporte could’ve seen red for raising his hands at Luka Modric.
But it was all going to plan for Guardiola. The only times Real Madrid got in behind would later see their attacks ended by the offside flag.
And then City got their goal on 74 minutes as Mahrez emphatically fired the ball past Courtois at the Real Madrid goalkeeper’s near post.
City could have put the tie to bed with Joao Cancelo’s long-range effort, while Jack Grealish had two glorious chances in quick succession, including having an effort that was heroically cleared off the line by Ferland Mendy.
And City were made to pay for these misses as Rodrygo scored twice in a minute. The first was a poacher’s finish as Benzema latched onto a free-kick from the right to play it back across to the forward, who nipped in ahead of Ederson to equalise.
Their second came less than 60 seconds later as Rodrygo brilliantly headed home Dani Carvajal’s cross from the right.
These Real Madrid players really don’t know when they’re beaten
There was only going to be one winner at that point and the decisive goal came in the third minute of the first period of extra time as Benzema, like he did in the first leg, calmly struck from the spot after being taken down by City defender Dias.
Fernandinho came so close to getting City level but couldn’t quite stretch enough after Courtois brilliantly saved Foden’s header.
It was relatively simple for Real Madrid after that as they booked their place in th
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e final thanks to one of the great Champions League comebacks.
AFP