Citizens deliver masterpiece vs Madrid, avenge last year’s semis loss to make final

Manchester, May 18

Vinicius Junior stood with his arms outstretched, seemingly pleading for instructions from his coach. Carlo Ancelotti — his hands on his hips — didn’t know what to say.

Only 23 minutes had been played and Real Madrid were getting overwhelmed and humiliated by Manchester City in the semifinals of the Champions League — a competition the Spanish club has almost made its own.

And already Vinicius, one of the world’s best players, and Ancelotti, the European Cup’s most decorated coach, were helpless.

That’s how good City were on a night when Pep Guardiola and his players produced a masterpiece nearly seven years in the making.

“We feel unstoppable,” City winger Jack Grealish said after his team’s 4-0 win, which secured a place in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.

Madrid would vouch

for that. City have been taking football to new heights over the last few months and their performance against Madrid was the pinnacle. In the first half especially, it was close to perfection.

Madrid had only 10 touches in their attacking third before halftime and only 28% of possession. The shot count was 13-1. If it wasn’t for two point-blank saves by Thibaut Courtois and a couple of errant shots, City could have been up 4-0 or more.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, working as an analyst for British broadcaster BT Sport, said he received a text message from City manager Pep Guardiola a few hours before the match.

“Believe me, we’ll beat them,” were Guardiola’s words, Ferdinand said. As he left the field after the game, Guardiola pointed to Ferdinand and shouted: “I told you, I told you.”

City didn’t just beat Madrid. It was an absolute destruction, a cleansing of the pain of last season’s semifinals when City conceded second-leg goals in the final seconds at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to be taken to extra time and eventually lose. — AP

Result (last-4)

Man city 4-0 r Madrid

Silva 23’, 37’

Akanji 76’

alvarez 90’ 1’

City advance 5-1 on aggregate