Tactically brilliant and with brute force – Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are very close to redemption in the Champions League after a real demonstration of power.
The Skyblues, driven by captain Ilkay Gündogan, robbed the record champion Real Madrid of their breath in the giant duel, booked their final ticket with the 4-0 (2-0) success and finally want to hold the “handle pot” in their hands in Istanbul.
Bernardo Silva (23′, 37′), an own goal by Eder Militao (76′) and Julian Alvarez (90’+1′) fueled the Citizens’ treble hopes, the first leg ended 1-1. Manchester will line up as favorites against Inter Milan at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10. The Nerazzurri had also impressed in their semi-final victories in the “Euroderby” against local rivals AC (2-0, 1-0) and could win the title in the premier class for the first time in 13 years.
Despite huge investments, City has only managed to reach the 2021 final so far. Two years ago, Guardiola’s team lost to Chelsea under current Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. The will to make it this time and to end Guardiola’s long dry spell is all the greater. Since 2011 – at that time still in the service of FC Barcelona – the Catalan has been waiting for his third Champions League title.
Anticipated Champions League final
“Real and Manchester are currently the two best teams in Europe,” said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti in the run-up to the game at Etihad Stadium – not only the Italian saw the clash between the two industry giants as an anticipated final.
It was also a special match for Ancelotti personally: he was on the touchline for the 191st time in the Champions League, making him the manager with the most games in the history of the competition ahead of Alex Ferguson (190).
The first few minutes in Manchester must have been one of the most stressful for the otherwise cool Ancelotti. City was very dominant against the deep and far too passive guests. Rodrigo (7th) and again and again Erling Haaland (7th, 13th, 21st), who was guarded by Eder Militao instead of German international Antonio Rüdiger, missed the best chances. Guardiola could hardly believe it, but then cheered.
Real Madrid only a little more dangerous after the break
Real, with Toni Kroos in defensive midfield, were initially kept in the game solely by brilliant goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
In the 35th minute of the game, the 2014 world champion Kroos set the first exclamation point from Real’s perspective with a brilliant long-range shot on the crossbar. But at the break, his team had their backs to the wall.
The Spanish champions came out of half-time with improved body language, but City remained dangerous. Gündogan, who had been in the final with Borussia Dortmund in 2013, kept looking for the way to the penalty area, which Rüdiger also defended from the 63rd minute of the game.
Real fought hard to get the goal back – but the attacking artists from Manchester, who eliminated Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, proved that they can also defend with great passion.