Manchester City vs Real Madrid. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.
Etihad Stadium.
4-2
Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus capitalise on poor Real errors to reach last eight in Lisbon on August 15
Saturday 8 August 2020 08:52, UK
Manchester City capitalised on two Raphael Varane errors as they made it through to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Etihad (4-2 on aggregate).
The hosts added to their first leg advantage early on as a lackadaisical Varane was caught in possession on his own byline by Gabriel Jesus, who squared for Raheem Sterling to tap home for his 100th Manchester City goal (9).
It didn't change much for Real, still needing two away goals to qualify, and they got a first through Karim Benzema's header from a Rodrygo cross (28).
But it was chaos in the second period as Real continued to mess around with the ball deep in their half, and City eventually killed the tie off as Jesus nipped in to capitalise on a weak Varane header to brilliantly poke home from an angle (68).
Pep Guardiola's City, chasing that elusive first Champions League crown, will now travel to Lisbon for the single-leg quarter-final against Lyon, on August 15.
La Liga champions Real hadn't played a competitive game since July 17, and it showed in the first half with some of the most casual possession seen in European competition this season.
Without captain and talisman Sergio Ramos, who was suspended having been sent off in the first leg, Real were poor defensively throughout. Varane dawdled on the ball early on at the touchline, allowing Jesus to rob him, before squaring for Sterling to simply tap home from 10 yards with just Real defender Dani Carvajal on the line.
Real, still needing two away goals, were continuously caught in their defensive third in the first half, but somehow clawed their way back into the tie.
After Benzema had stung the hands of Ederson from 15 yards, the Frenchman got his goal, climbing above Fernandinho and heading into the bottom right corner after some fine work from Rodrygo on the right, floating past Joao Cancelo with ease before lifting a cross in.
Real still weren't settled though; Phil Foden lashed just wide after Thibaut Courtois' poor kick was feasted upon by City, before Kevin De Bruyne's shot direct from a corner was beaten away well by the former Chelsea goalkeeper.
City had chance after chance after the break as Real struggled to get a grip on the game. First, Sterling was played through on goal by a brilliant De Bruyne through ball, but his left-footed shot was tipped wide by Courtois, before Courtois got down low to block Sterling after Casemiro lost the ball cheaply in midfield.
Courtois kept Real in the game again, tipping over Jesus' shot from an angle, but City got their cushion back from another Real error. Varane got lost under a long ball up, allowing it to bounce, before his weak header back to Courtois was intercepted by Jesus, poking into the net from a tight angle to give City breathing space.
Luka Modric saw a shot from the right of the box blocked by Ilkay Gundogan shortly after, but Real struggled to mount any real pressure on the City goal as they made the last eight for the third straight season.
Guardiola said 163 days ago that this tie wasn't over, but he wouldn't have expected to wait this long, and his side were helped by some extraordinarily casual play on the ball from the 13-times winners, who despite winning La Liga look a shell of their previous selves in Europe.
by Sky Sports' Adam Bate
'Manchester City were too good for Real Madrid and isn't that a statement for the club's supporters to drink in. The Spanish champions - the 13 time European champions - ousted from the competition they made famous after being beaten at home and away.
'That has not happened to Madrid in both legs of a Champions League knockout tie for over a decade. After 18 games unbeaten in Europe when level at the interval, City have now done them twice in two attempts - adding another 2-1 victory to progress to the last eight.
'Lyon await and while Guardiola and City know that this competition is capable of throwing curve-balls their way, their status as favourites is well deserved. A memorable end to what has been an epic - but at times underwhelming - season is still there for this team.'
City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to BT Sport: "We created a lot of chances and scored two goals with mistakes from them. We tried to convince them to go, go and attack but it is not easy against this team.
"It is important, we beat them twice. Zinedine Zidane never lost knockout games. You see the calm and personality they play with, they are good. We are here to try and win the Champions League. It is one step, if we think that is enough we will show how small we are. If you want to win you have to beat the big clubs.
"I just spoke with the scouting department (about Lyon) and they told me to be alert. We have eight days to prepare for it. We will enjoy it and then after we will think about Lyon."
Real boss Zinedine Zidane: "We cant be happy obviously, we have lost the game and we are out. We are proud of what we achieved this season, this is football. We lost to a good team and have to accept it. We had our chances to score.
"95 per cent of what we achieved this season has been excellent. We have to accept this.We need to be very proud of what we have achieved."
The quarter-final takes place on Saturday August 15 at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, before a potential semi-final on Wednesday August 19.
The final will be played at Estadio da Luz on Sunday August 23.
Quarter-final draw in full
Semi-final draw
Final
