ONLY GOD CAN EXPLAIN
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MADRID. Real Madrid’s astonishing victory over Manchester City has been deemed something ‘ONLY GOD CAN EXPLAIN” by the Spanish press as they delighted in Pep Guardiola’s misery.
The national papers reacted to Real’s dramatic late comeback with incredulity after Carlo Ancelotti’s men staged an unlikely revival when they looked dead and buried.
Madrid-based publications took extra pleasure in rubbing salt into former Barcelona boss Guardiola’s wounds. AS ran the headline: “Real Madrid are from another world”. They added: “The most sought-after image doesn’t disappoint: Guardiola’s face is GOLD!”
MARCA opted for a similar front page of the players running towards fans at full time in scenes of jubilation, along with the words: “A day only God can explain.” Mundo Deportivo, a publication aligned with Barcelona, had a more begrudgingly complimentary headline. They went with: “Groundhog day”, citing Real Madrid’s remarkable ability to produce late goals and stage unlikely comebacks.
SPORT emblazoned the word “incredible” on their front page. They added: “Once again, Madrid came back in a surprising way when they were close to death.”
City had not dominated to the extent they did in the first leg at the Etihad but looked on course for the final. Real failed to have a single shot on target right up until Rodrygo stole in to flick home the equaliser at the death.
The hosts were still a goal behind on aggregate and mounted a final surge to take the game to extra time.
Incredibly, they managed it when Dani Carvajal whipped in a ball and Rodrygo headed his second to land a body blow on Pep Guardiola’s side.
Karim Benzema then had his say in the decisive moment.
The Frenchman nipped in ahead of Ruben Dias and won a penalty that he cooly converted to put Real 6-5 ahead on aggregate.
They then allowed the clock to bleed out and only conceded one major chance, that Fernandinho skewed wide of the far post.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men will look to add Liverpool to their list of major scalps this season in claiming their 14th Champions League crown on May 28. —