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Rodrygo scored twice for Real
Photo: Angel Martinez/Getty Images
The "remontada", the race to catch up, was a success - and how: Real Madrid spectacularly beat Manchester City 3-1 (0-0, 2-1) and are in the final of the champions despite the 3-4 defeat in the first leg league.
In the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Riyad Mahrez already seemed to make everything clear for the Citizens (73rd minute).
A brace from substitute Rodrygo (90', 90' + 1') brought the Madrilenians into extra time in the final minutes, where Karim Benzema scored the final penalty with a penalty (95').
In the final of the premier class, Real will meet Liverpool FC at the Stade de France near Paris on May 28, who defeated FC Villarreal 2-0 and 3-2.
After the seven goals in the first leg, Pep Guardiola had already raved about "advertising football".
However, the first half had little in common with the breathless festival of goals and chances of the previous week: Carlo Ancelotti's Madrilenians started the game cautiously, winger Rodrygo was replaced by clearer Casemiro after a suspension and strengthened the defensive midfield.
So Real was much safer against City's offensive than in Manchester.
However, the 0-0 only helped the Citizens.
Real was under pressure, but Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior found themselves outnumbered too often in attack.
A Benzema header over the goal (5th minute), a shot from Toni Kroos just to the left of the goal (27th) - the team, which has been champions in La Liga since the weekend, did not come much closer to a goal at first.
Laporte close to being sent off
City had the greatest opportunity through Bernardo Silva, who failed from five meters out at Thibaut Courtois (23'), but also lucky that Aymeric Laporte only saw a yellow card after a slap against Luka Modrić (8').
Ederson's goal then became really dangerous a few seconds after the break: Vinicius Junior just missed a quick and direct Real attack from five meters (46').
Ten minutes of Real's power play followed: The majority of the second balls landed at Real, the game shifted in front of City's penalty area.
However, when the Madrilenians played into the penalty area, things got messy: Vinicius Junior, who started from the depths, caught the ball twice in his heels and Modrić's attempt to finish once was blocked (53').
City was able to calm the game – and launched a successful counterattack: Bernardo Silva played from the center to the half-right where Mahrez had entered the penalty area.
The right winger put City in the lead with a left-footed shot into the near corner (73').
But Real wasn't beaten yet: Ferland Mendy cleared a Grealish shot just before the line (87'), then the "remontada" began: Substitute Rodrygo first leveled the game (90'), then scored a minute and a half later with a header to make it 2:1 and equalized the first leg result.
Benzema, the decision maker
The door opener into the final was the Blancos player, who was the main actor during the fightback in the round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain: Rúben Dias came too late in the duel against Benzema in the penalty area, the Frenchman went down and got Daniele from the referee Orsato awarded the penalty.
Benzema, who had already scored from a Panenka penalty in the first leg, shot himself and converted hard and placed on the bottom right (95th).
In the final stages, City were closer to catching up and therefore closer to a penalty shoot-out than Real were to a fourth goal, but Fernandinho put a great chance wide of the goal from close range (105+2).
The Premier League leaders missed the hoped-for second Champions League final in a row, last year they lost to Chelsea in the final.
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