Manchester City’s hopes of securing a second successive Champions League title came to an end as they suffered a dramatic 4-3 penalty shoot-out defeat against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite a valiant effort from City, Real Madrid emerged victorious after the sides drew 1-1 in regular time and were deadlocked at 4-4 on aggregate in the quarter-final second leg.
Real Madrid took the lead early in the match when Rodrygo found the back of the net in the 12th minute. However, City fought back and equalized through Kevin De Bruyne’s close-range strike in the 76th minute.
With no further goals in extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Though Real Madrid’s Luka Modric missed the first penalty, City’s Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic were also unsuccessful from the spot. Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger converted the final penalty, securing victory for the visitors and advancing them to the semi-finals.
Despite City’s dominance throughout the game, particularly in the second half and extra time, they were unable to capitalize on numerous chances. Manager Pep Guardiola commended his players for their exceptional performance but acknowledged that football is ultimately about winning.
City defender Ruben Dias expressed frustration over the result, emphasizing the team’s efforts and the disappointment of falling short in the penalty shoot-out.
The defeat marks the end of City’s unbeaten run in the Champions League after 22 games and their first home loss in Europe in 30 games.
Looking ahead, City will refocus for their upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, aiming to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment.
