Before this, Real Madrid had reached the second leg of a European tie 35 times and had passed all 35 times. He also did not allow a surprise in the 36th, after a match with more plot than what the scoreboard shows, with two goals from Vinicius in a stadium that a year before had mocked his displeasure at not winning the Ballon d’Or. Arbeloa’s team, in which , overcame the scorching start of Guardiola’s team, which was 0-1 after the first round and with Bernardo Silva sent off. City did not give in, but continued pushing, always on the limit of scoring, always on the limit of conceding. But it was not enough and Madrid will probably find themselves in the quarterfinals with Bayern, who only have to finish off the 6-1 draw against Atalanta in the first leg.
1
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rúben Dias (Marc Guéhi, min. 45), Matheus Nunes (Antoine Semenyo, min. 56), Jérémy Doku, Tijjani Reijnders (Nathan Aké, min. 45), Bernardo Silva, Rodri (Nico González, min. 45). 73), Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland (Omar Marmoush, min. 55)
2
Thibaut Courtois (Andrii Lunin, 45 mins), Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold (Dani Carvajal, 82 mins), Fran García, Antonio Rüdiger, Arda Güler (Eduardo Camavinga, 73 mins), Aurélien Tchouaméni, Thiago Pitarchel (Manuel Ánderchel), 73 mins. Valverde, Vinícius Júnior and Brahim Díaz (Kylian Mbappé, 68 min.)
Goals
0-1 min. 21: Vinicius Junior. 1-1 min. 40: Erling Braut Haaland. 1-2 min. 92: Vinicius Junior
Referee Clement Turpin
yellow cards
Guardiola (min. 24), Abdukodir Khusanov (min. 48), Mbappé (min. 75), Trent Alexander-Arnold (min. 79)
red cards
Bernardo Silva (min. 19)
It’s impossible not to think about the overflowing Mike Tyson of 1987, on the day they asked him about Biggs, the next guy who tried to end his unbeaten record. He had a plan, he had said. Clear. “Everyone has a plan until they receive the first blow,” the beast responded. Guardiola also had one, which his team began to execute after a formidable scare at 55 seconds. Vinicius left Valverde alone against Donnarumma. It seemed inevitable that the Uruguayan would extend his spell and score again, after the three he scored in the first leg at the Bernabéu. But not. He meekly handed the ball to the Italian. And City returned to their plan.
Always on the assault, with Rodri pushing, Doku looking for the distraction of the clan that Arbeloa put together to defend him (Trent, Thiago and Valverde), Bernardo Silva cutting towards the area, Cherki floating throughout the attack and Haaland making his way like an icebreaker. Cherki shot at Courtois’ body, the Belgian responded instinctively to a shot from Rodri, Reijnders also found room to hit in the area, like Cherki and like Rodri again from a little further back. Five shots in just over ten minutes.
Madrid lived very close together, but City passed through the resistance like a downpour of fine rain. That was the plan. Until Real put the lasso on the ball and lowered the revolutions. He found a stretch of peace touch by touch, a long sequence in which the only ones who did not participate were Trent and Thiago. From behind, passing Courtois twice, until Valverde connected with Vinicius on the other side. The Brazilian hit the post and the rebound fell to Brahim after hitting Donnarumma’s legs. The man from Malaga, surrounded, found the 7 again on the other side. He hit him with his left foot, Bernardo Silva surreptitiously stuck out his left elbow, the VAR caught the ball and the referee gave a penalty and sent off the Portuguese.
It is not common, quite the opposite, but football sometimes gives second chances. Vinicius, who had wasted a penalty in the first leg to make it 4-0, found himself eleven meters away again to rewrite that, as can only happen to someone with his almost insane insistence. With his head of steel, he will have been chewing the moment for the minutes that the review of the play took. He didn’t care about everything. He shot to the same side as at the Bernabéu and scored. Tyson’s punch. Guardiola’s plan, in the air, four goals behind and with one less player.
He found himself facing a precipice: Güler began to send balls to the deserted back of City’s back, to Vinicius, to Fran García, to Valverde… Each pass, almost a one-on-one. But without aim. Meanwhile, on the other side, Doku maintained his efforts to deactivate the surveillance, until he slipped through a gap in front of Thiago and his pass, after touching Trent, found Haaland in the area, who equalized.
City conducted themselves with a half-absurd conviction that hid the fact that they were pushing with one less man. Courtois was leaving his limit stops, as Lunin later did when he came on due to an overload by the Belgian. Guardiola insisted on his charge, bringing in Semenyo to also strike from the right. They didn’t get carried away. Not at all. It sank Madrid, which had lost control of the ball, supported by Lunin. Until the final sentence of the second goal by Vinicius, who scored a pass from Tchouameni and tied the tie to the quarterfinals.
