• Man City suffered penalty heartbreak against Real Madrid in Champions League

A few minutes before kick-off, a flag depicting a double-decker bus began to be passed along the Manchester City fans behind one of the goals at the Etihad Stadium. It had Phil Foden’s face emblazoned on the side next to the figure 192, the number of the bus that runs from Manchester, through Foden’s home town, Stockport, to Hazel Grove.

There was something else inscribed on it, too. ‘Wembley Express’ was written on it in big capital letters, a reference not to City’s appearance there on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea but a nod to the fact that the Champions League final will take place in north west London on June 1.

It turns out City won’t be there to play in it. Real Madrid rang the bell a few stops early at The Etihad last night and booted City off that bus before it had left east Manchester. 

After an attritional tie that was dominated by a dogged Madrid defence and finished 1-1 after extra time, it took a dramatic roller-coaster of a penalty shoot-out to decide this quarter-final but Madrid prevailed.

City went into an early lead in that shoot out but a terrible, chipped penalty from Bernardo Silva that sailed softly into the hands of Andriy Lunin changed the momentum of that part of the contest and Antonio Rudiger, Madrid’s titan throughout the match, kept his nerve to stroke home the final kick.

Real Madrid beat Man City 4-3 on penalties to progress to their 33rd #UCL semi-final 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GK2caLV3rY

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 17, 2024

And so City’s dream of a Double Treble is no more. And their dream of becoming the only team other than Madrid to retain the Champions League is no more. All of which may be bad news for Arsenal and Liverpool. Because now City will throw everything they have at winning the Premier League title for an unprecedented fourth time in a row.

It was a heartbreaking defeat for City who had won 28 and drawn two of their last 30 home games in the Champions League before this match. They had not lost at home in the competition since a defeat to Lyon 2037 days ago. Everything changed last night.

The sides had drawn the first leg in Madrid last season, too, but City were irresistible when the teams met in Manchester. Bernardo Silva scored two and Phil Foden’s pass to Julian Alvarez to set up the fourth was poetry. It was the kind of display that made everyone believe they were going to win the Treble.

The start was more conservative this time than it had been last week, when the sides drew 3-3 in the first leg, or last year. It was not until the 10th minute when Eduardo Camavinga managed the first shot of the game, a curling effort that was comfortably saved by Ederson, but it was still against the run of play when Madrid took the lead two minutes later.

Bellingham, who had been chasing and harrying and trying to knock City out of their stride as they built from the back, took a high ball down with exquisite control on the half way line and fed the ball out to Federico Valverde on the right.

Valverde slipped the ball to Vinicius Jr and his low cross seemed to catch Manuel Akanji off balance at the back post. He slipped as the ball went behind him and Rodrygo lashed it goalwards from six yards out. Ederson made a superb reaction save but the ball went straight back to Rodrygo and this time, he rammed it home.

Rodrygo gives Real Madrid the lead at the Etihad! 🤩

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK #UCL pic.twitter.com/90xbbybexj

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 17, 2024

City laid siege to the Madrid goal immediately. Haaland wrong-footed Andriy Lunin with a looping header that rebounded off the face of the crossbar and fell to Bernardo Silva but, with the goal gaping, he could not adjust his body in time to steer the ball home and it bounced off his shin and into touch.

City threatened again 20 minutes before half time when they took a quick free kick as Dani Carvajal lay complaining of an injury near the touchline. City worked the ball to Kevin de Bruyne on the right and his stinging shot was beaten away by Lunin at full stretch. Madrid were furious play had not been halted so Carvajal could be treated.

Ten minutes later, after a couple of scares caused by lightning Madrid breakaways, Haaland broke through the visitors’ defensive line and spread the ball left to Jack Grealish. Grealish ran in on goal and speared in a left-foot shot but Antonio Rudiger made a superb saving challenge and deflected the ball wide.

City started the second half like furies and Grealish smashed a superb volley goalwards from the edge of the area as Madrid struggled to clear a corner. It was straight at Lunin. A yard either side of him and the Real goalkeeper would not have stood a chance.

City came close again a couple of minutes later. Under pressure from Haaland, Nacho tried to shepherd the ball back to Lunin and then lost his nerve at the last minute and tapped it back to him. By then, Lunin had come to gather the ball so Nacho only succeeded in prodding it past him. Haaland tried to force it into the net as it rolled towards the line but Nacho hooked it away in the nick of time.

Just when time seemed to be running out and City grew more and more frustrated, substitute Jeremy Doku cut in from the left with a quarter of an hour to go and fired in a low cross to the near post.

Rudiger, who had played like a giant until then, scuffed his clearance straight to the feet of De Bruyne. De Bruyne took one touch to control it and, with the second, he lifted his shot high into the roof of the net from a few yards out. A roar of relief and exultation rolled around the ground.

Kevin De Bruyne equalises for Man City! 🔥

It's game on in Manchester... 👀

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/khNYGtO9GZ

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 17, 2024

De Bruyne missed a golden chance to win the game soon after, leaning back and skying a shot over the bar. On the touchline, Guardiola held his head in his hands for what seemed like an eternity. The game slipped into extra time.

Guardiola replaced Haaland with Alvarez and City nearly took the lead straight after kick off. Doku wriggled to the byline again but this time his cross fizzed across the face of goal and no one could apply the finishing touch. 

A few minutes later, Bernardo Silva found Foden with a crisp cross but for once, the sweetest of left feet mistimed its shot and the ball rolled harmlessly wide.

Rudiger came close to turning home a difficult chance on the turn on the stroke of half-time of extra time but hit it narrowly wide. Both teams began to look weary. Bellingham exhorted the Madrid fans to redouble the volume of their support.

Madrid’s defence did not yield again and the tie went to penalties. Alvarez took the first kick and scored and City took the early advantage when Ederson saved Luka Modric’s effort. Bernardo Silva chipped a terrible penalty straight at Lunin, who caught it as if he were catching a tame cross. Bellingham scored calmly.

Mateo Kovacic’s shot was brilliantly saved low down by Lunin. Lucas Vazquez sent Ederson the wrong way. 

Foden scored for City. Nacho buried his kick. Ederson knew he had to scored with City’s fifth kick and he did but then Rudiger, Madrid’s titan stroked the winning kick low into the corner.