Manchester: Holders Manchester City were beaten 4-3 on penalties by Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium after they had battled back from 1-0 down to draw 4-4 on aggregate, as their hopes of a second successive treble were ended.
Real Madrid continued their quest for a 15th UEFA Champions League title after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over holders City and booked a fourth successive semifinal appearance.
The first ten minutes were a tense answer. The two teams sat back and studied each other like a game of chess until Camavinga had a shot on target. Ederson caught his effort from the edge of the area in the 11th minute, a chance that was to be the prelude to the goal that gave Madrid the lead in the following move.
Valverde played a ball behind the defence, Vini Jr. broke down the right wing and crossed low into the box. Rodrygo shot, Ederson saved the Brazilian’s initial effort and the forward smashed in the rebound to stun the Etihad Stadium (0-1, 11th minute).
That prompted City to go onto the front foot, and the home side went close just seven minutes after going behind when Erling Haaland’s looping header smacked against the crossbar.
The reigning champions upped the tempo as the match wore on with Jack Grealish twice testing Andriy Lunin either side of the Real Madrid No13 denying Phil Foden.
With Guardiola in search of an equaliser, he sent Jeremy Doku into the action with 18 minutes remaining and the Belgian international was integral to the equaliser. When the tricky substitute’s cross was only partially cleared by Antonio Rüdiger, De Bruyne was on hand to scoop the ball into the roof of the net.
City could have sealed progress deep in normal time, but De Bruyne was unable to double his tally, curling a long-range effort narrowly over the bar before side-footing over from close range.
The teams were unable to maintain the intensity of the first 90 minutes in extra time, City substitute Julian Álvarez unable to beat Lunin at the goalkeeper’s near post deep into the additional half hour.
It was Lunin who proved to be the hero in the shoot-out, guessing correctly to deny Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva after Ederson had stopped Luka Modrić’s kick.
The 14-time winners of this competition duly confirmed their place in the last four thanks to Antonio Rudiger’s low penalty into the bottom corner.
(IANS)
