The main lesson from the Champions League is: never ignore Real Madrid, that team that, in the group stage, lost at home to the Moldovan champions. As in previous qualifiers,meringueHe needed a miracle to qualify for the Champions League final against Manchester City. After a 4-3 defeat in the first leg and an imminent defeat, Carlo Ancelotti’s side scored two goals as compensation to balance the confrontation and secured a place in the Paris final (where they will face Liverpool) with a penalty kick that Benzema converted into. over time.
“Another magical night for the kings of Europe“, This is what the Bernabeu asked of Real Madrid, the team with historical weight in the “old” continent. He asked for magic against the “new rich” Manchester City, a team of authors that matured in six years by Pep Guardiola with a greater goal which is to win for the first time what “meringue“They already won by 13 points. One goal was enough for a draw and two to win. It didn’t look like that, and I had already turned around other opponents in the Champions League. Chelsea and PSG say so.
After the impressive 4-3 first leg match at the Etihad Stadium, a clash of the same sentiments was expected with the mark continuing permanently. But it was a more strategic battle, with less risk, a balance of power and caution. she was “meringueWho was responsible for the attack, but did not rush forward. They had patience, and the patience of a team accustomed to these environments. When it is said that jerseys do not play, in the case of Real Madrid, this is not entirely true.
Real Madrid City, with their trio of Portuguese players (Robin Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva), waited to move in first. The best chances of the first half were for the British team. Bernardo Courtois was forced to save well in the 20th minute, Gabriel Jesus made another dangerous shot in the 23rd minute, and Foden, in a move that came directly from Ederson Moraes, almost surprised the Belgian goalkeeper.meringueAll this, Real Madrid endured a certain Olympic calm, without stopping to divide the game and try to speed up at certain moments.
Zero goals in 45 minutes was what City wanted. This was not what the Bernabeu was asking for. But with the match resuming in the second half,meringue“He almost went down. In the kick-off, the ball quickly went to Carvajal on the right and then went to Vinicius, who narrowly missed the goal. Intimidating Guardiola and a sign of life for Real, who achieved something rare in football today, sharing possession of the ball with Guardiola’s team.
As the minutes passed, the energy of the newly crowned Spanish champion faded and gave way to despair, while “Citizens“He seemed to be in complete control of the match and the equalizer, although they were safe with minimal margins. Everything seemed to be decided in the 73rd minute, when Riyad Mahrez made it 0-1, after a moment of great clarity from Bernardo Silva.
The Portuguese took the ball into the area.”meringueAnd waited for the right moment to launch it for the Algerian striker. The truth is that City could have built an irreplaceable lead in the next minutes, including a Graelish ball that Eder Militao controlled on the goal line. The clock struck 88 minutes, City were leading by two goals in a tie and the final was at their mercy, and a new duel between Paris and Liverpool was scheduled.
But Real Madrid is that team that never gives up in that competition that they consider their own. He has already won it 13 times and the desire to take the 14th place gave him extra strength. In the 90th minute, Rodrygo scored the equalizer in the match, after a assist from Benzema, and in the next minute, it was the young Brazilian who made the score 2-1 after a assist from Asensio. Tie tie, but Real Madrid’s emotional rise, which carried this state of mind into overtime.
And her hero was someone who seemed to be absent from the whole game, but showed up at the right time. In the 94th minute, Benzema was fouled by Ruben Dias, and in the next minute the Frenchman sent City the goal that would give Real another final.