by Alessandro Bocci
The match ended 1-1 in regulation time. Ancelotti’s team will challenge Bayern Munich
The Champions League is Real Madrid’s favorite playground, they always know how to take it, even when it is about to get out of hand. At the Etihad, after the spectacular 3-3 draw in the first leg, Ancelotti’s team scored immediately with Rodrygo and defended with attention, ferocious attitude, perfect occupation of the area, without conceding anything. Sounds like the perfect plan. Guardiola tries to ruin Carletto’s night by introducing Doku, who revives the courageous but sterile Manchester City, who attack from start to finish but never find the space or the right impulse. It was the latest arrival who created the move that allowed De Bruyne to equalize and the Etihad to hope. Madrid staggers, holds, overcomes the storm, gets back on its feet and, despite suffering the pain of hell in 120 intense and emotion-filled minutes, avenges last year’s 4-0, winning this early final on the tenth penalty with Rudiger and thanks to Lunin’s saves, becoming the favorite to reach the fifteenth Cup, even if in the semi-final Carletto will find his old Bayern again, always a very difficult customer.
As in the first leg, City attacks and Madrid defends, trying to restart. A theme, after the start of the study, made evident by the goal that breaks the balance in the 12th minute. Bellingham’s best play, launched by Carvajal, finds the Citizens defense in shambles and the Brazilian pair, Vinicius-Rodrygo, does not forgive: Vini provides the cross, the twin shoots twice inside the area and the second gives Ederson no escape . City keeps the ball, Guardiola’s 4-2-3-1 often becomes 3-3-4-1 with De Bruyne attacking deep. Foden and Bernardo Silva, however, are not the usual goblins.
The Spaniards, on the other hand, are perfect in the defensive phase, with ferocious attention and concentration in marking and closing the passing lines. Lunin erases the doubts of the first leg, stopping two treacherous crosses and a shot from outside by De Bruyne himself, Haaland hits the crossbar, the only flash of his evening, Rudiger stops Grealish. Madrid blocks. Nacho, starting in place of the suspended Tchouameni, commands the defense, Kroos lowers himself to stop De Bruyne, Carvajal (above all) and Mendy guard the flanks. Bellingham falls at a distance and the Los Blancos are unable to restart as they would need to ease the pressure and, perhaps, secure the result.
In the second half City starts pushing again, but can’t find an opening and when he finds one, Lunin is always attentive, especially twice on Grealish, the more determined. Madrid has an opportunity to close the score, but Valverde’s cross to Vinicius, unmarked in the center of the area, easy prey for Ederson. Guardiola tries to break the plot of a match that seems to have been scored by removing Grealish for the explosive Doku. The decisive move. It was the Belgian winger who sparked the equalizer, his cross was deflected by Rudiger (the only mistake) onto the feet of De Bruyne who couldn’t make a mistake. And De Bruyne himself immediately came close to doubling the score, twice, the second missing a sort of moving penalty. Extra time is effort, passion, pride. Madrid wins. A game in the balance until the end. Honor to both. We console ourselves with the referee: Orsato is among the best, he directs with the right attitude and makes very few mistakes.
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April 17, 2024 (changed April 18, 2024 | 00:09)
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