Champions: Manchester City-Real Madrid 4-0 LA CRONACA
It will be Manchester City-Inter in the Champions League final on 10 June in Istanbul. Pep Guardiola’s team eliminated Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid by winning the second leg 4-0 (brace from Bernardo Silva, own goal from Militao and Alvarez) after the draw in the first leg with an impressive performance, absolutely dominating. City plays the perfect match and thus gains access to their second Champions League final after the one they lost against Chelsea two years ago and Guardiola celebrates his 100th victory in the Champions League. Despite the elimination, that of Manchester is still a special evening for Carlo Ancelotti who becomes – with 191 benches (107 wins, 43 draws and 40 defeats) – the absolute record holder in the Champions League, ahead of a legend like Sir Alex Ferguson. At the Etihad Stadium we start again from the 1-1 of the first leg. Guardiola deploys the exact same formation sent to the field at the Bernabeu. Akanji from central left with Stones together with Rodri in midfield, Haaland offensive terminal with Bernardo Silva and Grealish on the lanes while Carlo Ancelotti changes only one man compared to the first leg team. Play Militao for Rudiger. In attack Benzema with Vinicius and Rodrygo. The script of the game is clear right away: City play the game, Real defend and restart. Guardiola’s team starts very strong and after two miracles by Courtois (13′ and 20′) on Haaland takes the lead in the 23rd minute: great ball from De Bruyne who finds the drive into the area for Bernardo Silva, the Portuguese controls and shoots hard at the near post, not even Courtois can do anything this time. The match is a Citizens monologue with Real annihilated by the vehemence of the action of Guardiola’s men. We had to wait until the 35th minute to see Real’s first real chance: Kroos’ long-range shot, Ederson grazed and the ball hit the crossbar. City weren’t impressed and a couple of minutes later, in the 37th minute, doubled again with Bernardo Silva who headed past Courtois. The double edge does not change the economy of the game. Real struggles, too much effort, while City knows no breaks and is permanently in the opposing area. The second half started without changes and with Real looking for the goal that could reopen the game: in the 7th minute a free-kick from 25 meters by Alaba committed Ederson. However, Real’s push was not constant and City took over the reins of the game. In the 22nd minute it was Kroos again who made himself dangerous but the City defense was reactive. The Citizens respond with Halland (29′) but once again Courtois saves. In the 31st minute the 3-0 goal finally closed the game: a cross from De Bruyne’s trocar at the near post, Akanji and Militao headed the ball in an attempt to free, with his knee he sent the ball behind Courtois. Real proudly tried everything, but it was the perfect evening for City who scored their fourth goal with Alvarez at the end and flew to the final.
MANCHESTER CITY – REAL MADRID! 4-0 for Guardiola’s team that flies to the Final!
90+1′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY – Real Madrid 4-0! Rete di Julián Álvarez. Mahrez finds Foden, inside the ball for the Argentine who, only in front of Courtois, makes no mistake! Poker City!
76′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY – Real Madrid 3-0! Autorete by Éder Militão. Punishment by De Bruyne, in the scrum in the area the last touch is by the defender, who scores into his goal.
73′ CROSS OF HAALAND! Gorgeous heel by Gundogan, conclusion by the Norwegian that Courtois manages to put on the crossbar!
60′ WHAT A RISK FOR REAL! Pass by De Bruyne, Carvajal doesn’t sweep leaving the ball to Gundogan: the director is unable to take advantage of it from a few steps away.
51′ ALABA! Punishment for Real Madrid, the defender looks for the seven with Ederson who puts in a corner!
Manchester City dominated the first half, Guardiola’s team went into the locker room with a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals from Bernardo Silva, but with 13 shots attempted and 72% of ball possession.
Interval.
MANCHESTER CITY – REAL MADRID FIRST HALF ENDS! 2-0 at halftime, two goals from Bernardo Silva.
45+1′ AKANJI! Conclusion also for the defender, Militao saves his team by deflecting for a corner!
45′ WHAT GREALISH WRONG! Soft ball from De Bruyne, the winger controls badly a stone’s throw from goal!
45′ BERNARDO SILVA! Left low shot for the Portuguese, easy in this case for Courtois to catch.
37′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY – Real Madrid 2-0! Rete di Bernardo Silva. Grealish catches Gundogan’s cut, his shot is rejected, but Courtois can’t do anything on the Portuguese’s lead tap!
35′ KROOS CROSSBAR! Powerful conclusion of the German from 30 meters, touches Ederson with the ball that ends on the post of the goal.
23′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY – Real Madrid 1-0! Rete di Bernardo Silva. Ingenious vertical from De Bruyne for the Portuguese who, alone in front of Courtois, kicks power to the near post where the goalkeeper cannot reach.
22′ COURTOIS AGAIN SAYING NO TO HAALAND! Head shot by the Norwegian, incredible save by the former Atlético player who puts in a corner.
13′ MIRACLE OF COURTOIS ON HAALAND! Grealish’s cross, former Dortmund header from close range, rejects the Belgian!
12′ STONES! After a long ball possession, a shot by the defender who sends just wide.
8′ RODRI! On the continuation of the action, right to cross the Spaniard who ends just wide!
8′ HAALAND! Throw by de Bruyne, the Norwegian also jumps Courtois but no longer has the space to shoot.
The formations
MANCHESTER CITY (3-2-4-1): Ederson – Walker, Dias – Akanji – Stones, Rodri – Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish – Haaland. Disposition: Ortega, Carson, Laporte, Gomez, Lewis, Phillips, Palmer, Alvarez, Mahrez, Foden.
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois – Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga – Valverde, Kroos, Modric – Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius. Available: Lunin, Vallejo, Nacho, Odriozola, Lucas Vazquez, Rudiger, Mendy, Hazard, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Asensio, Diaz.