CITY STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ROD
Pep’s men sunk by sub as Benzema books final
REAL MADRID 3 MANCHESTER CITY 1 AET; REAL WIN 6-5 ON AGG
FOR 90 minutes of this enthralling contest Real Madrid were flat on the canvas, lifeless under an English boot with a third all Premier League Champions League final inside four years booked for Paris.
Yet the speed with which that narrative unravelled was breathtaking.
In two minutes, and another five after the ‘final’ whistle, Real Madrid produced a comeback for the ages to leave City and Pep Guardiola sparked out.
Riyad Mahrez’s goal in the 73rd minute had re-established a two-goal cushion, 5-3 on aggregate, and with 90 minutes up, Guardiola’s side were resetting course for collision with Liverpool on May 28.
Two goals in two minutes from substitute Rodrygo spun the tie on its head to take it to extra-time. And five minutes into it, Ruben Dias mistimed a challenge. Karim Benzema went over his leg and referee Daniele Orsato pointed to the spot. The Real Madrid striker stepped up to send Ederson the wrong way.
On the touchline, Guardiola crouched low, clutching the sides of his head as if to try and stop the thoughts spinning too fast inside. It was hard to watch and harder to bear. Guardiola had received a huge boost by the return of Kyle Walker after five matches out with an ankle injury and another on the other flank with the return of Joao Cancelo following suspension. At the Etihad in the first leg, Benzema had been served a little too well, particularly from Vinicius Junior, but the Brazilian rocket was well policed by Walker until the England defender was forced off.
City chiselled out the better chances in a cagey first half, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden stinging Thibaut Courtois’s gloves. Towards the end of the first half Real had started to load the pressure and they came out flying at the start of the second. It was City’s good fortune that Vinicius had his best chance with his first kick, a sliced effort wide after Dani Carvajal’s cross from the right found him free of Walker.
In the 70th minute Walker’s night ended with a foot race and a tumble with Vinicius, Guardiola replacing the stricken full-back with Oleksandr Zinchenko and bringing on Ilkay Gundogan for Kevin De Bruyne.
Moments later Gundogan and the Ukrainian combined to spring Bernardo free. His mazy run at the centre of Real’s defence was a smokescreen for a pass to
Mahrez, left, arriving from the right flank. The Algerian’s lashed first-time shot flew in at the near post.
Jack Grealish had two chances to wrap things up in the dying minutes from tight angles, having one effort cleared off the line and another saved by Courtois’ outstretched leg.
City thought they had things wrapped up but Rodrygo’s stunning late intervention, first lashing home from close range after Benzema hooked the ball across the six-yard box, then heading Carvajal’s cross home powerfully, left City gasping.
It took the tie to extra-time, where Benzema sealed City’s fate.