Is this finally the year? Since Sheikh Mansour took charge of Manchester City in 2008, winning the Champions League has been their ultimate goal. Now, their only obstacle in next month’s final is Inter. City previously defeated Real Madrid in the semifinals two years ago, but that victory pales in comparison to this one. The final score of 4-0, leading to a 5-1 aggregate, fails to capture the true extent of City’s dominance. As June approaches, City’s biggest opponent may be their own anxieties.
Pep Guardiola’s teams have squandered promising positions in the past, but they have never dispatched a supposed rival in the Champions League so effortlessly. They have never entered a final as overwhelming favorites. After witnessing Madrid’s inexplicable progress in the competition over the past couple of seasons, it feels like a turning point has been reached. The long-awaited logic is finally prevailing, and genuine power is now in control.
Perhaps it should not have come as a surprise how one-sided this match was. Last season’s semifinal also showcased a significant imbalance, although Madrid somehow escaped with a 4-3 defeat at the Etihad and capitalized on City’s anxieties by scoring twice in injury time at the Bernabeu. Nevertheless, City’s performance in this match was truly extraordinary.
At this point, it is important to acknowledge that City is a project supported by a state, with the resources of Abu Dhabi fueling Guardiola’s arrival in Manchester and the construction of this squad. The rise of City over the past 15 years is intertwined with the 115 charges of financial irregularities brought by the Premier League, as well as the UEFA charges that were ultimately dismissed due to expiration. The awareness of these circumstances inevitably casts a shadow, but the first-half display in Wednesday’s match was still remarkable.
City overwhelmed Madrid, relentlessly pressing their opponents. Madrid struggled to escape their own half, completing a mere 13 passes in the opening 15 minutes. Meanwhile, City’s passing was exceptional. Madrid’s right-back Dani Carvajal, who benefited from lenient refereeing in the previous week, struggled to contain Jack Grealish on the City left flank. On the opposite side, Bernardo Silva’s movement exposed the fact that Eduardo Camavinga, despite his qualities, is playing out of position as a left-back. In contrast, Kyle Walker, after a fierce battle with winger Vinícius Junior in the first leg, dominated him in the second.
City created a constant stream of scoring opportunities. Thibaut Courtois made a fine block from Erling Haaland’s close-range header and followed it up with an even better save, stretching his right hand to push the ball around the post.
As the notion crossed their minds, a sense of déjà vu emerged, hinting at a potential reenactment of the initial encounter. City’s initial period of dominance yielded no tangible results, but Silva, cunningly eluding Camavinga, broke free and received a precise through ball from De Bruyne. With precision and power, he thundered a shot past Courtois, claiming the first goal. Not content with just one, Silva displayed his brilliance once again, employing finesse to loop a header into the net after Courtois had initially thwarted Gündoğan’s attempt.
For the past few years, there has been a growing perception that Madrid is vulnerable due to the comparatively slower pace of La Liga, making it ill-prepared to handle the high-pressure style of Premier League teams. Throughout last season’s knockout rounds and even against Liverpool this season, Madrid frequently found itself under pressure, relying on their unwavering self-confidence and the outstanding performance of Courtois. It was often Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema, or Vinícius who stepped up and delivered when needed at the other end of the pitch.
Even in this match, there were moments that could have disrupted City’s smooth progress. Out of nowhere, Toni Kroos struck a powerful long-range shot that rattled off the crossbar, and David Alaba’s swerving free-kick was tipped over by Ederson. However, despite a brief rally by Madrid early in the second half, which mainly amounted to possessing the ball without creating much danger, the momentum swung back in City’s favor.
Courtois once again denied Haaland, redirecting his attempt onto the crossbar, but Manuel Akanji managed to connect his head to De Bruyne’s free-kick, with the ball eventually finding the net after hitting Madrid center back Éder Militão. In injury time, Julián Álvarez sealed the victory with a swift counter-attack that he initiated himself after winning back possession.
Undeniably, this is an exceptional team, showcasing some of the most remarkable football ever witnessed. It’s just unfortunate how it was assembled and what it represents.
