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Real Madrid Rides Another Comeback to Champions League Final With Win Over Man City

The Spanish giants scored three goals from the 90th minute on to overcome a late deficit and advance to the Champions League final.

Andrew Gastelum

It took 90 minutes, but Real Madrid proved once again that it was the comeback king of the Champions League. 

After orchestrating comebacks against Chelsea and PSG in earlier rounds in the Champions League knockout stage, Real put together its most awe-inspiring performance of the season. Facing a two-goal aggregate deficit in the 90th minute, second-half substitute Rodrygo scored twice in less than two minutes to force extra time.

Then, Real left things to its most reliable star. After a hat trick against PSG and four goals in the two legs vs. Chelsea, Karim Benzema once again provided the clinching goal for the newly crowned Spanish champions. 

In the seven-goal, first-leg thriller at the Etihad, Man City led throughout but was never able to pull away from Real Madrid. In the second leg, that formula repeated itself, and City’s missed chances decided its fate with only a 73rd-minute goal to show for its effort. 

Real Madrid will now go on to the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 28 in Paris.

The Bernabéu was rocking from the start, and the home crowd was nearly rewarded in the fifth minute by Benzema. The striker had a clear chance at goal with a header right in front of goal, but his chance soared over the crossbar. 

Man City returned with a series of long-range efforts in the first 15 minutes courtesy of Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne, but it was nothing that Thibaut Courtois couldn’t handle. 

The start lacked the frenetic energy and disorder of the first leg with neither side able to capitalize on a serious chance. In the 18th minute, Real seemed to have another promising chance in front of goal but Vinícius sent another chance over the bar. 

City forced Courtois into a save in the 20th minute when Bernardo Silva’s half-volley came close to extending the English side’s aggregate lead. But the Belgian was there to keep the game scoreless. 

While City recorded four shots on goal in the first 40 minutes, Real continued to miss the target. Phil Foden forced Courtois into action once again in the 40th minute with a quick chance right off a long free kick from City’s defensive third, but Courtois remained steady. 

Vinícius followed with another chance that seemed to have potential inside the penalty area, but Kyle Walker showed his prowess at right back with a quality stop.

Carlo Ancelotti seemed to have the hosts inspired as Real Madrid came out of the halftime with its best chance of the match so far in the first minute of the second half. Once again, it was Vinícius who had the chance in front of goal, but the Brazilian missed the target. 

It was City that struck that all-important opening goal, waiting until the 73rd minute to break the deadlock. Mahrez struck the blow against Real with a confident strike from his favored left, curling his chance in the top-right corner past a leaning Courtois to give City a 5–3 aggregate lead. 

Benzema’s only serious chances came just before being whistled for offside, including in the 81st minute after a shot that sprung City keeper Ederson into a save that ended up being unnecessary. 

Jack Grealish nearly added a second on two occasions within a minute in the 87th minute. His first chance was cleared off the line by Ferland Mendy while his second shot on target was thwarted by a brilliant kick save from Courtois, who just put enough on the ball to send it out of play.

Rodrygo gave life to Real in the 90th minute when he darted through the box and redirected a pass from Benzema into the back of the net. The goal cut Real’s deficit to just one with stoppage time remaining. 

But the second-half substitute wasn’t done yet. Just a minute later, Rodrygo scored the tying goal for Real Madrid to make it 5–5 on aggregate with a header off Carvajal’s cross. 

Five minutes into extra time, Real Madrid continued its momentum when Benzema forced a penalty on a poorly timed tackle from Rúben Dias. Benzema stepped to the spot and sent his shot away from a diving Ederson for Real Madrid’s first aggregate lead of the semifinal. 

Right on the stroke of the extra time break, Fernandinho seemed to have the perfect opportunity to equalize for City. But after a Courtois save, the Brazilian couldn’t redirect the rebound into the goal despite the clear chance.

In the second half of extra time, Real Madrid held off a stubborn Man City attack, spurred on by a boisterous home crowd. Now, Real will have to prove that it can do so in a one-off final without its home support—and the lure of relying on a second-leg comeback. 

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Andrew Gastelum
ANDREW GASTELUM

Andrew Gastelum is a programming editor and writer at Sports Illustrated who specializes in soccer, the Olympics and international sports. He joined the SI staff in March 2021 and previously contributed to Howler Magazine and NBC Sports. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame alum and is currently based in Italy.

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