Category: Football

Manchester City’s Premier League title bid suffered a blow after Norway striker Erling Haaland was ruled out of Thursday’s crucial clash at Brighton.

Haaland missed City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday due to a muscle injury sustained in the Champions League quarter-final exit against Real Madrid last week.

City’s leading scorer, who has 20 Premier League goals this season, is yet to recover and will not make the trip to the Amex Stadium as the champions look to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.

City boss Pep Guardiola insisted Haaland’s injury was not serious and he could come back into contention in time for Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest.

While Haaland is sidelined, Guardiola was boosted by England internationals Phil Foden and John Stones getting the green light to face Brighton after their own fitness concerns.

“Erling is not ready for tomorrow, the other two, they are ready,” Guardiola told reporters on Wednesday. “I know it is not a big issue, but he is not allowed for this game.”

As a gripping title race approaches the final furlong, third-placed City are four points behind leaders Arsenal, who thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday.

Guardiola’s men have two games in hand on Arsenal and have played one match fewer than second-placed Liverpool, who face Merseyside rivals Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

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Manchester City will be crowned champions for an unprecedented fourth successive season if they win their last six games.

But Guardiola warned his players not to underestimate Brighton, whose manager Roberto De Zerbi has earned his City counterpart’s respect.

“Brighton away, if you put it in my calendar, is one of the toughest ones for the way we play,” he said.

“My admiration is growing every season. They have a lot of injuries and play three competitions, but the way they play is always there. He (De Zerbi) is doing an incredible job at Brighton.”

If City hold off the challenges from north London and Merseyside, it would extend a spell of dominance from Guardiola’s men, who face Manchester United in the FA Cup final in May.

Guardiola has bemoaned the hectic schedule that he believes has put his players’ health at risk, yet he has no intention of resting his stars with the title in his sights.

“Every person has their (preferred) starting XI, but everyone has their contribution. Now we’ve had three or four days since the last game against Chelsea and tomorrow is one of the toughest games of the season,” he said. “Every game is adrenaline and important, but this is decisive.

“Now every mistake or step back makes it more difficult but it is what it is. We have been here these last years, fortunately, many times, so that’s how we know what we are playing for.”

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Kai Havertz and Ben White scored twice as Arsenal thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday to surge ahead in the Premier League title race and ramp up the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City.

Leandro Trossard was also on target in a record win over Chelsea for the Gunners, who move three points clear of Liverpool and four of Manchester City.

The destiny of the title remains in City’s hands as the defending champions have two games in hand.

Liverpool have also played one fewer game than Arsenal and are in action at Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.

However, Mikel Arteta’s men’s goal difference advantage now looks unassailable should it become decisive in the title race.

“We have made our people very proud, it is a big derby for us and I know what it means,” said Arteta.

“We started the game really well but didn’t convert all our chances – we were a bit sloppy in certain areas of the pitch.

“In the second half, we were much more disciplined and created chances and were ruthless in front of goal.”

Chelsea and Arsenal’s title rivals were dealt a huge blow before kick-off as the Blues’ danger man Cole Palmer was ruled out due to illness.

Palmer has scored or assisted nearly 50 percent of Chelsea’s Premier League goals this season and his presence was badly missed by the visitors.

Despite enduring a disappointing first season under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea had been unbeaten in eight consecutive league games prior to their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.

But they were blown away by an Arsenal side keen to reaffirm their title credentials after losing their last home game to Aston Villa.

“So difficult (a) result and performance (to accept) because it is not nice to see your team playing like this from the beginning of the game,” said Pochettino.

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“Today we didn’t compete against a team fighting for the Premier League. We need to be aware we need to compete in a different way.”

The hosts flew out of the blocks and were in front inside five minutes.

Trossard only ended up at the Emirates after Arsenal were gazumped by Chelsea in the battle to sign Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023.

The Belgian has proved to be a far more productive signing and smashed in his 15th goal of the season at Djordje Petrovic’s near post.

Petrovic redeemed himself for a mistake at the opening goal with two brilliant saves to turn away Havertz’s low effort and a deflected shot by Trossard to keep his side in the game before half-time.

The Serbian briefly held Arsenal at bay early in the second period with saves from Declan Rice and Havertz.

However, the floodgates opened once White curled in Arsenal’s second after Chelsea failed to clear a corner on 52 minutes.

Havertz scored the winning goal in a Champions League final for Chelsea during his three years in west London, but he never performed consistently to the level he has found in recent months under Arteta.

Martin Odegaard’s stunning through ball was met with the finish it deserved as Havertz smashed high past Petrovic.

His next finish was more subtle as the German international fired in off the post from Bukayo Saka’s pass for his seventh goal in his last 14 club games.

A night for forget for Chelsea was summed up when White’s attempted cross flew into the top corner from another sensational Odegaard pass.

Defeat leaves Chelsea still in ninth, three points adrift of the European places.

Next up for Arsenal is what appears their toughest hurdle remaining away to Tottenham in Sunday’s North London derby.

Should Arteta’s side prevail at the home of their fiercest rivals, City will likely need to be perfect in their final six games to retain the title.

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Jurgen Klopp warned his title-chasing Liverpool team that they will have to cope with “derby fever” as he prepares to face Everton for the final time on Wednesday.

Klopp’s men are second in the Premier League table, level on 74 points with Arsenal — who host Chelsea on Tuesday — and one clear of defending champions Manchester City.

Liverpool returned to winning ways at the weekend, beating Fulham 3-1 after a draw against Manchester United and a costly defeat at home to Crystal Palace.

“I don’t know when my first derby was but I always knew how important it was,” said Klopp. “Now I know it and I feel it. My understanding has developed over the years but they are always difficult games, especially there.”

He added: “Derby fever will be in minds so we have to be cool and that is an important part in preparing for the game.”

Everton have a respectable recent record against their city rivals at their own ground, losing only once there in the Premier League since 2016.

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Klopp, in his final season at Anfield, said he was happy with the way his team had responded after their recent setbacks, which included exits from the FA Cup and the Europa League.

“It was super-important to qualify for the Champions League,” he said. “That was clear to go for that. It looks good in that department but it is not 100 percent set yet.

“We are where we are and want to win all the games. You have to deal with all the little setbacks. I wouldn’t say it was straightforward but until two weeks ago it was better than people would have thought.

“It’s all about how you can get the right feeling back again. And I am really happy with the response.

“Let’s make the best of it. If we win the league then I will be ecstatic. And as long as there’s that chance we will give it a good try.”

The German also said Portugal international Diogo Jota would be out for about two weeks after picking up an injury at Fulham.

Everton’s relegation fears have been eased after two wins in their past three games.

They are now five points clear of the drop zone despite being docked a total of eight points this season for breaches of Premier League financial rules.

Everton boss Sean Dyche said he was looking forward to his first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

“I didn’t grow up here so I don’t have the depth of understanding (of the rivalry) but what I do understand is how important it is to be Everton’s manager in all games, but particularly this one for the obvious reasons,” he said.

Speaking about Klopp’s final derby, he added: “Aside from being Everton’s manager, massive respect for what he’s done here and his other clubs. It’s not easy to build things, and he’s done it at three clubs. Massive respect for that.”

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MADRID: Jude Bellingham scored an injury-time winner and lifted Real Madrid to edge arch-rivals Barcelona 3-2 in an enthralling La Liga El Clasico at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium here on Sunday.

The highly-anticipated clash got off to a contrasting start as Andres Christensen opened the scoring for Barcelona just six minutes into the game.

Christensen scored a header from Raphinha’s corner after Andriy Lunin failed to clear the ball from his six-yard box.

Manchester United recovered from an astonishing collapse to beat Coventry on penalties in an FA Cup classic on Sunday, setting up a second straight final against Manchester City.

Erik ten Hag’s men won the shootout at Wembley 4-2, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the decisive spot kick after the teams were level at 3-3 following extra time.

The game perfectly encapsulated a chaotic season for Ten Hag’s men, who are well off the pace in the Premier League.

There was no hint of what was to come when United coasted into a 3-0 lead against their second-tier opponents in the London sunshine, with goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

But they have made a habit of tossing away leads in recent weeks.

Second-half strikes from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare gave the 1987 FA Cup winners hope and Haji Wright levelled from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, capping a scarcely credible comeback.

Coventry fans taunted Ten Hag with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as belief infused the massed ranks of supporters clad in light blue.

A gripping period of extra time followed, with both teams hitting the woodwork, before United held their nerve to win the shootout.

“It was an incredible game, a strange game too,” Ten Hag told ITV. “We had total control for so long and then gave it away in the last part of the game. We did show resilience to win the penalty shootout.”

“We have to improve,” he added. “We talk a lot about this. First you have to put yourself in a winning position but then you have to take it over the line.”

Coventry manager Mark Robins famously played a key part in United’s FA Cup win in 1990, a triumph that launched two decades of success under Alex Ferguson.

But his team’s push to reach the Championship play-offs has faded in recent weeks and they travelled to Wembley as underdogs despite United’s stuttering season.

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United, 12-time winners of the competition, settled early and took the lead in the 23rd minute after a fine move down the right finished off by McTominay.

Marcus Rashford forced a fine save from Bradley Collins late in the first half but United doubled their lead from the resulting corner, with Maguire heading home Fernandes’s cross.

Coventry, who scored twice in stoppage time to beat Premier League team Wolves in the quarter-finals, looked brighter in the early stages of the second period.

But the wind was taken out of their sails when Fernandes’s deflected shot found its way past Collins in the 58th minute.

Coventry pulled a goal back when top-scorer Simms connected with a cross from substitute Fabio Tavares in the 71st minute and O’Hare reduced the deficit further.

The club’s fans were now in full voice as their team mounted waves of attacks and they were level in the 95th minute when Wright scored from the penalty spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled.

Fernandes rattled the crossbar early in the first period of extra time when set up by substitute Amad Diallo.

Simms then smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar as time started to run out.

Coventry thought they had won it in the dying moments, sending their fans delirious when substitute Victor Torp poked the ball past Andre Onana but a VAR check ruled that Wright was offside by the narrowest of margins in the build-up.

Casemiro took the first penalty in the shootout, which was saved by Collins.

But O’Hare and captain Ben Sheaf failed to convert, leaving Hojlund with the job of sending United through and he made no mistake.

A disappointed Robins said defeat felt like “kick in the teeth”.

“We’ve just said to them they’ve put themselves right up there in the history of the football club,” he said. “People will talk about this game for a long time.”

Manchester City, who beat United in the 2023 final, edged Chelsea 1-0 in the other semi-final on Saturday.

It is only the second time in the competition’s history that the same two teams have reached successive finals, the first sides to do so since 1885.

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Lionel Messi scored twice and created another for Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1 on Saturday to maintain top spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

Miami suffered an early setback when their defender Franco Negri deflected a corner from Daniel Lovitz into his own net in just the second minute of the game at Chase Stadium.

Gerardo Martino’s team have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 11 games and it could have been worse when three minutes later Josh Bauer blasted a shot against the bar.

But Messi soon had Miami on level terms — the Argentine set free by a clever flick from Diego Gomez saw a shot parried out by Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco, but after Luis Suarez directed the loose ball back to him Messi slotted home to make it 1-1 in the 11th minute.

Two minutes later, Messi took advantage of some sloppy play from Nashville but his low right-foot shot came out off the post.

Everything Miami was creating was coming through Messi, who flashed a snapshot wide before moments later whipping in a cross for a Gomez header which was saved by Panicco’s feet.

Six minutes before the interval, Messi’s former Barcelona team-mate Busquets found the net for the first time in MLS, meeting the World Cup winner’s corner with a fine glancing header at the near post.

But there was a blow for the home side just before the break when Paraguay international Gomez was stretchered off with an ankle injury, the latest in a series of injuries for Miami.

His replacement, Brazilian-born youngster Leonardo Afonso, had the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Nashville came out strongly after the break but despite dominating possession for the opening 20 minutes of the half, they had little to show for their efforts other than a couple of off-target long-range efforts from German Hany Mukhtar.

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Nine minutes from the end, Miami were able to put the game to bed when Afonso was ruled to have been brought down inside the box by Bauer and Messi slotted home the penalty.

The goal was Messi’s ninth goal in as many games in all competitions this season for Miami.

Martino was unhappy with the way his team had started so slowly.

“Regardless of how fortunate their goal was, we didn’t start well in the first few minutes. They were more focused, more intense, they handled the ball better, they pressed,” he said.

“There are a lot of things we need to correct, but I’d like to do it with the full squad. We have seven or eight players out which is a lot in a league as strict as MLS with the roster and budget issues,” he said.

Miami have 18 points from their opening 10 games and Martino said that was a decent return considering the depleted squad he is working with.

“All this happens to us and we have still collected 18 points, which is significantly more than last year at this stage, we will be looking to accumulate points now so that the second part of the year is not as demanding and dramatic as last year,” he said, referring to the ill-fated late chase for a playoff place.

Elsewhere in MLS on Saturday, champions Columbus Crew had to come from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers.

The leveller came in the 74th minute via a superbly struck long-range blast from French full-back Steven Moreira.

Last season’s regular season table-toppers Cincinnati claimed an impressive 2-1 win at Atlanta United despite falling behind to a lovely, curling shot from Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada in the 59th minute.

The lead lasted just three minutes as reigning MLS Most Valuable Player Luciano Acosta led Cincy on a counter-attack and fed compatriot Luca Orellano to level.

Acosta completed a crazy five minutes when he grabbed the winner, tapping in after he was picked out by DeAndre Yedlin.

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Bernardo Silva fired Manchester City back into the FA Cup final as the Portugal midfielder’s late strike sealed the holders’ 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were second best for long periods of the semi-final, but Chelsea wasted a string of chances before Silva delivered the knockout blow six minutes from full-time.

Shaken by their Champions League quarter-final loss against Real Madrid on penalties in midweek, City took a while to shake off the gloom from the end of their treble bid.

They were hampered by the absence of Norway striker Erling Haaland after he suffered a knock against Real, with Julian Alvarez unable to make an impact as his replacement.

City were bailed out by Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson’s profligacy and Guardiola will hope the hard-fought success provides a timely lift as they chase a Premier League and FA Cup double.

Manchester City face United or Coventry, who meet on Sunday, in the final on May 25 and will retain the Premier League title if they win their last six games.

It will be City’s 13th final in the competition and potentially a repeat of last year’s 2-1 win over United in the Wembley Manchester derby.

Beaten by Liverpool in the League Cup final in February, Chelsea’s wait to win their first domestic trophy since the 2018 FA Cup goes on for another season.

It was a bitter blow for Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino, who has endured a difficult first season in charge and remains without silverware in England.

The semi-final was billed as in-form Chelsea forward Cole Palmer’s chance to punish his old club for selling him to the Blues in September.

Guardiola said Palmer was asking to leave City for two years before he eventually joined Chelsea, where he has scored 23 goals in all competitions this, including 11 in his last six games.

Palmer, who scored four times in Monday’s 6-0 rout of Everton, was a constant threat for Chelsea, but ultimately it was his team’s lack of killer instinct that proved decisive.

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Palmer’s pin-point pass sent Jackson racing into the City area early on, but his strike lacked the accuracy to beat Stefan Ortega in a miss that foreshadowed Chelsea’s fate.

Jackson wasted a golden opportunity to give Chelsea the goal their dominance deserved.

Enzo Fernandez’s pass split the City defence, but Jackson opted to go around Ortega rather than shoot and the chance was gone as Nathan Ake scurried back to clear.

Playing with more purpose and quality than City, Pochettino’s team threatened again as Palmer cleverly shimmied past Rodri for a low drive from 12 yards that was well saved by Ortega.

It was the first time lethargic Manchester City had failed to muster a first half shot on target since a game against Everton in February.

Jackson, in the midst of a terrible debut season, was put clean through on goal by Conor Gallagher immediately after the interval.

But the much-maligned striker’s shot was palmed away by Ortega, who clawed away a close-range header from Jackson seconds later.

City finally tested Djordje Petrovic through Phil Foden’s snap-shot, but the Serbian was equal to his powerful strike.

Chelsea appealed in vain for a penalty when Jack Grealish’s arm blocked Palmer’s free-kick, while Moises Caicedo was fortunate to escape a second booking for a crunching tackle that forced Grealish to limp off.

Grealish’s replacement Jeremy Doku drew an immediate save from Petrovic with a near-post blast.

Doku’s presence lifted Manchester City and the Belgian played a part as they stole the victory in the 84th minute.

Advancing with intent towards the Chelsea area, Doku slipped a pass to Kevin de Bruyne, whose low cross was pushed out by Petrovic to Silva for a close-range finish that deflected home as Guardiola punched the air in relief.

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Pep Guardiola has revealed Erling Haaland could miss Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

Haaland was substituted before the start of extra time in City’s Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Guardiola said after the penalty shoot-out loss that the Norway striker asked to be withdrawn but did not give a reason why.

The City boss has now confirmed Erling Haaland suffered an injury against Real and suggested it was not certain his leading scorer would recover in time for the FA Cup holders’ clash with Chelsea.

“We will see. It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue.

“The doctor said he had a little bit of niggles, a little problem, we will see how his evolution is in the next hours.”

While Guardiola sweats on Haaland’s fitness, City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne should be involved against Chelsea after being taken off during extra time against Real due to fatigue.

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Given City’s hectic schedule, Guardiola conceded it is understandable that players are tired at this stage of the season.

“It’s normal with the amount of games we are playing this season and the previous seasons and not much recovery, and extra time and high intensity,” he said.

“We put a lot of pressure in our game and that’s why the fatigue is there. They are human beings. They are not a machine. We are used to it.”

The agonising shoot-out defeat by Real ended City’s hopes of winning a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble for a second consecutive season.

But they remain on course to repeat the domestic double and Guardiola is determined to ensure the Premier League leaders bounce back from their European frustration.

“We don’t have another option. I don’t want us to feel sorry for ourselves,” he said.

“In football, you lose games. We performed at our best and we were not able to win. You have to accept it.

“We did everything. We know it, they know it, all the world know it, but it was not enough. When it’s not enough, it’s a bad night. So congratulations (to Real) and, tomorrow, FA Cup.”

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Barcelona must dust themselves down after the Champions League defeat to try and slow Real Madrid’s steady march towards the La Liga title in Sunday’s El Clasico.

The Spanish champions can make a last stand by reeling Madrid’s lead into five points at the Santiago Bernabeu, even if overhauling their arch-rivals with seven matches remaining to defend the trophy is a tough task.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) brought Barcelona’s European adventure to an end in painful fashion on Tuesday, overhauling the Catalans’ two-goal lead in the tie.

Picking up his squad emotionally after that defeat will not be an easy task for Xavi Hernandez, with some Spanish reports saying the coach may leave his post after the game with reserve team coach Rafael Marquez a possible replacement.

Xavi said in January he would depart at the end of the season and despite a strong run of form since leading to a clamour for him to stay, has not changed his mind.

Defeat by PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals may have ended any chance of that happening, beyond a miracle comeback in La Liga.

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If that is to happen it must begin in the capital against a Madrid side exhausted but jubilant after they beat treble-winners Manchester City on penalties on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.

Xavi’s first job is to calm any potential tension within his squad after midfielder Ilkay Gundogan criticised defender Ronald Araujo for his early red card which cost Barcelona against PSG.

“I’ll keep what I think to myself, I have codes and values that I think have to be respected,” Araujo told reporters.

The Uruguayan centre-back, who was also sent off against Real Madrid in January in Barcelona’s painful 4-1 hammering in the Spanish Super Cup final, said his team would not throw in the towel in La Liga.

“Madrid are our biggest rival and we have to change our mindset — we’ll go all out on Sunday,” continued Araujo.

“We mathematically have a chance still and we have to fight for La Liga until the end.”

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Barcelona have not lost away from home in La Liga this season, while goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has gone 583 minutes without conceding in the top flight — 53 short of his best record in the competition.

With Madrid having defended for their lives against City over 120 minutes of high-intensity football, Barcelona may be able to capitalise.

“On Sunday we’ll compete again, we’re not throwing in the towel in La Liga,” said Xavi. “Let’s see if we can put ourselves within five points (of Madrid).”

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team were “very tired” but would find the strength to continue their title tilt.

“The Clasico is crucial for the league,” said the Italian, who has won La Liga on one occasion, with Madrid in 2022.

As well as their Spanish Super Cup triumph over Barca, Madrid also won the first Clasico of the season at the Olympic Stadium in October and are looking to make it a hat-trick.

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Real Madrid exacted revenge on Manchester City to reach the Champions League semi-finals 4-3 on penalties after withstanding a barrage at the Etihad on Wednesday.

Rodrygo gave the visitors an early lead before Kevin De Bruyne hit back for the holders to leave the match level at 1-1 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate.

However, City’s defence of the competition came to an end after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic saw spot-kicks saved by Madrid’s unlikely hero Andriy Lunin.

The Ukrainian, who has deputised this season for the injured Thibaut Courtois, had been at fault for City’s early opener in a thrilling first leg but more than made amends.

Madrid will face Bayern Munich in the last four after the German giants beat Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate.

Manchester City had not lost at home in the Champions League since 2018 but the holders were held at bay by a heroic defensive effort by the 14-time European champions despite having 34 attempts on goal.

“It’s so difficult. They are continuously probing with the ball and move you around. Most teams would fall apart when City get on top of you but we stood up really well,” said Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.”

Madrid were blown away by an early City blitz in a 4-0 defeat at the Etihad 11 months ago as Pep Guardiola’s men went on to win the competition for the first time.

City also edged a semi-final first-leg thriller 4-3 on home soil two years ago only to be stunned by a late Madrid fightback in the return leg.

“In other sports, for the stats, we would win but football is like this and it’s marvellous,” said Guardiola.

“Congratulations to Madrid because of their capacity to resist and defend till the end, they did so fantastically. We didn’t manage to score in the final pass or final shot.

“I don’t have any regrets. Always we try to create more and concede less (than the opponent) and we did everything.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s men flipped the script on Wednesday with an assured start that was rewarded with the opening goal.

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Bellingham plucked the ball out of the sky with an immaculate touch to set Real roaming down the right.

Vinicius Junior picked out the unmarked Rodrygo and he tapped in the rebound after his first effort was parried by Brazilian international teammate Ederson.

If City were slow to warm to their task they quickly had Madrid penned against the ropes but failed to land a telling blow for 76 minutes.

Erling Haaland failed to score for a fourth consecutive clash between the sides but has rarely come up closer than when his looping header came back off the crossbar and left Silva no time to adjust to turn in the rebound.

Lunin was forced to turn behind De Bruyne’s shot from outside the box and the tenacious Antonio Rudiger deflected Jack Grealish’s effort into the side-netting.

The Madrid goalkeeper saved two more efforts from Grealish at the start of the second half before Guardiola sacrificed the England international for the extra pace of Jeremy Doku.

That proved an inspired change as Rudiger failed to deal with a Doku cross and presented the ball perfectly for De Bruyne to smash into the roof of the net 14 minutes from time.

De Bruyne should have turned the tie around single-handedly as he then blazed a glorious chance over.

However, City’s threat was blunted during extra-time as both Haaland and De Bruyne had to be replaced.

It was Real who had the best chance of the extra 30 minutes when Rudiger sliced over with a clear sight of goal after staying forward from a rare Madrid corner.

But the German defender was still to have the decisive say as he slotted in the final penalty of the shootout.

Ederson’s save from Luka Modric had given City an early lead.

But Lunin calmly collected Silva’s attempted chip down the middle and then denied Kovacic low to his right.

Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho put Madrid on the brink before Rudiger landed the fatal blow to City’s hopes of a second consecutive treble.

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