Players could barely walk anymore after more than 210 minutes of thrilling football over two matches. As stormy as it had started, in part two on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. local time in the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, the energy flowed away so mercilessly, deep into the match. So it had its limits somewhere, this constant battle between Manchester City and Real Madrid.
It was football that approached perfection in stages, these two meetings in nine days. The passes, so tightly tailored. The assumptions are under control. The technology, so balanced. The speed of action, so refined. The constant movement, especially from City's light blues. The position changes, with a sense of time and space. The steely defending of Real Madrid, almost elevated to an art form.
City-Real had the allure and experience of a Champions League final, the reality was that it was a quarter-final. Maybe that was for the better, after all, a final is only about one match, now it was double the enjoyment. 3-3 last week in Madrid. 1-1 in Manchester, after ninety minutes.
Beauty
The last bit of fuel was perhaps drained during the sprint in the first part of extra time, with Manchester City defender Kyle Walker managing to stop the lightning-fast Vinícius with everything he had left. Because that was also what this match was, beyond all beauty: a display of superior defending.
Still, other moments will linger. The class of Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is unmistakable, after twelve minutes. A high ball, kicked wildly from the Real defense, lands in City's half. Bellingham's timing is excellent, with one seemingly simple foot movement – with his right – he manages to control the ball and immediately escape from his opponent.
He then plays another opponent as if he is not there, then passes to an upcoming teammate on the right. All in all it lasts four seconds, that performance of Bellingham, dancing on the square meter.
Winger Vinícius takes over, comes through, passes low to Rodrygo, who can shoot in freely. City goalkeeper Ederson first makes a good save – but Rodrygo manages to tap in the rebound.
The pace is horrendous, so fast. With City's relentless waves of attacks, led by playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. Last week in Madrid he remained on the bench due to abdominal complaints, now he is elusive at times. The encirclement by City – defending champions – is phenomenal, they push Real back that far.
For a moment everything seems to stand still
The Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, with his 1 meter 94 height, towers above almost everyone when he heads. Excruciatingly slowly, the ball arcs towards the goal – for a moment everything seems to stand still, and everyone only sees the ball. Well out of reach of goalkeeper Andrij Loenin, it lands on the crossbar.
City continues to search, but does not break through. There is always a Real player with a block or a tackle, often the crafty defender Antonio Rüdiger. Or then it is captain Nacho again who barely manages to clear the ball before the line.
The tough man-to-man battles between the agile City attacker Jack Grealish and the adamant Real defender Daniel Carvajal are fascinating. Whatever City tries, however much Grealish and De Bruyne undertake, however patiently they continue to combine, Real has found a method under coach Carlo Ancelotti to stop what is probably the best footballing team in Europe. With ten men they fall far back, almost like a wall, impossible to break.
A flash
Fifteen minutes before the end, City's desperation seems to be increasing, with coach Pep Guardiola becoming increasingly restless. City remained undefeated in its own stadium for 29 Champions League matches, and last lost to Olympique Lyon in September 2018. It no longer creates real opportunities.
But then, suddenly a flash from the young Belgian substitute Jeremy Doku on the left. He gets through, gives a hard cross (or was it a shot?), which ends up right in front of De Bruyne via Rüdiger. In those milliseconds he finds the peace to quickly take a shot with the right, then shoots in high and hard with the same foot. 1-1. A deep sigh from Ancelotti – the discharge from Guardiola.
City starts and tries to force the winner shortly before the end. Through Doku and Manuel Akanji, they break through again. De Bruyne is suddenly completely free, gets the ball, and an almost perfect chance. But he rushes. De Bruyne knows it, the dismay – visible in him, in Guardiola.
The intensity decreases, the tension increases. Suddenly Rüdiger appears in front of City's goal at the end of the first part of extra time – great chance, wide.
The fast, the sensitive, is now gone. But they remain unyielding, until the last seconds. 4-4, is the score over two games, including extra time. Even, so: penalty shootout.
The Ukrainian Real goalkeeper Andrij Loenin stops two – one of which by simply standing. Rüdiger shoots the decisive shot through the inside of the post. Also in that, in that last ball: to the limit. With good reason: otherwise the keeper would have saved.
A late-night embrace between Ancelotti and Guardiola in Manchester marked the stylish end to a brilliant clash.
#Real #Madrid #Manchester #City #approached #perfection #stages #Report #wonderful #battle