The Cityzens eliminated Real Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League semi-finals (4-0). They will be favorites for the final on June 10 against Inter Milan.
This time, Real Madrid didn’t perform a miracle. A year after overthrowing Manchester City against all odds in the Champions League semi-finals, Madrid were eliminated by Cityzens (4-0), Wednesday May 17, at the same stage of the competition. Thanks to a splendid first period rewarded with a double from Bernardo Silva (23rd, 37th), and two goals at the end of the match from Manuel Akanji (76th) and Julian Alvarez (90th + 1), Manchester City offered themselves the right to participate in the C1 final against Inter Milan on June 10 in Istanbul.
After 2021 and the failure in the final against Chelsea (0-1), Pep Guardiola will therefore have a new chance to win his first C1 since 2011. A football revolutionary, often unhappy in recent years when the competition reaches its end, the City coach has set up a steamroller this season, capable of bringing the reigning European champions to their knees, without them being able to compete.
Courtois frustrated Haaland though
The first 45 minutes proved it and the people of Madrid tasted it, because City never let go of the ball, made ten times more passes than their opponent in the first quarter of an hour (124 to 13) and found the opening thanks to the first goal of Bernardo Silva (23rd). The Portuguese rarely disappoints in major events and he compensated for the clumsiness of Erling Haaland, the serial-scorer frustrated by a spectacular Thibaut Courtois in front of the Norwegian despite the defeat (13th, 21st, 73rd).
During this first period spent in apnea, Real Madrid was able to breathe five short minutes. The time to touch the ball and see Ederson repel the long shot from Toni Kroos (35th) on his crossbar. But barely their heads out of the water, Real found the abyss on Silva’s second goal (37th).
The ordeal eased in the second half for the Merengues, because City chose to make the confrontation more balanced by giving them more of the ball. But you shouldn’t be fooled by the raw statistics: the gap was big, too big. The score did not reflect it, until the goal of Akanji (76th) then Julian Alvarez, on his first ball, at the very end of the match (90th + 1).
City big favorite against Inter in the final
Faced with the masterpiece of the Cityzens, which will be remembered for a long time, Real Madrid and its captain Karim Benzema, powerless this evening, could only bow. Without ever believing in the miracles that led him to victory in the Champions League last year. The final is therefore Manchester City who will play it on June 10 in Istanbul, against Inter Milan. Against the Nerazzurri, the Cityzens will undoubtedly be the huge favourites.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were already, to a lesser extent, in the lost final in 2021 against Chelsea. The Mancunian club then discovered these heights of the European Cup and, despite its Catalan guide, had been dizzy. The two return, this time determined to achieve what they tied their fates to in 2016: lifting the Big Ears Cup. More than ever, and Wednesday’s demonstration against Real attests, this year seems to be that of Manchester City.