Get Real! Comeback stuns City
Leaving it late: Madrid strike at the death yet again to beat Man City and reach Champions League final
The “Si se puede! (Yes we can!)” chants gradually faded at the Santiago Bernabeu as the minutes passed and Real Madrid looked beaten.
As the end of regulation approached, many in the stands — and on the field — were close to giving up as Manchester City defended their 1-0 lead.
It seemed that there would be no magical night at the Bernabeu for the 13-time European champions this time.
But Madrid took their Champions League comebacks to another level yesterday, rallying late with two goals in two minutes by substitute Rodrygo to force extra time and defeat Manchester City 3-1 to reach the final — a showdown with Liverpool.
Karim Benzema, the hero of Madrid’s previous comebacks this season, converted a penalty kick in extra time for the decisive goal that allowed Madrid to advance 6-5 on aggregate after a 4-3 first-leg semifinal loss in which they escaped losing by a bigger margin.
“I didn’t think we could do it again because we were struggling,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “We had already eliminated some top teams that spent a lot of money to try to win the Champions League, but it was more impressive, happening in the final minutes.”
Madrid had already pulled off thrilling comebacks at the Bernabeu against Paris SaintGermain in the round of 16 and Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
“I cannot say we are used to living this kind of life, but it happened against Chelsea and also against Paris,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “If you have to say why, it is the history of this club that helps us to keep going when it seems we are gone.”
By doing it again against City, Madrid booked a spot in the May 29 final in Paris against Liverpool, who advanced after defeating Villarreal on
It is the history of this club that helps us to keep going when it seems we are gone.
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti
Wednesday. Madrid defeated Liverpool in the 2018 final, when the Spanish powerhouse clinched their record-extending 13th title.
“We have a score to settle,” Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said on Twitter after Madrid’s win.
The result ended City’s latest quest for their first Champions League trophy. Pep Guardiola’s team lost in the final last year to Chelsea.
Madrid looked defeated near the end of regulation before Rodrygo scored his goals two minutes apart. Riyad Mahrez had put City ahead in the 73rd but the forward equalised in the 90th and got the go-ahead goal with a header a minute into stoppage time.
A few minutes before Rodrygo’s first goal, Ferland Mendy had saved Madrid from conceding a second goal that could have sealed City’s qualification, by clearing the ball in front of the goalline while tumbling backward to deny an attempt by Jack Grealish.
Madrid goalkeeper Courtois moments later saved a Grealish shot with the bottom of his cleat.
Madrid took their late surge into extra time and Benzema gave the hosts the 3-1 lead by converting a 95th-minute penalty kick after he was fouled inside the area.
It was the 15th Champions League goal this season for Benzema, the leading scorer. It was his 10th goal in the knockout stage, tying Cristiano Ronaldo’s record in a single season.
Benzema had scored hat-tricks when Madrid rallied against both PSG and Chelsea. Madrid came back against PSG after losing the
first leg in Paris and conceding early in the second leg at the Bernabeu. Against Chelsea, Madrid won the first match 3-1 but were down 3-0 in the second leg before rallying in extra time, when Benzema again scored the deciding goal.
Yesterday’s game started tighter than last week’s back-and-forth first leg in Manchester, but City eventually opened the scoring when Mahrez found the top corner with a firm left-footed one-timer from inside the area following a pass by Bernardo Silva, who attracted the Madrid defenders before passing to his teammate.
Madrid had scored 22 goals in their last eight games in all competitions but struggled to get past the City defence.
But Benzema set up Rodrygo’s first goal from inside the area, and Marco Asensio flicked Dani Carvajal’s cross for the Brazilian’s stunning header in stoppage time which set the scene for Benzema's extra-time winner.