Tag: Manchester City

Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland should be respected as the “best striker in the world” after the Manchester City star was subjected to scathing criticism by Roy Keane.

Former Manchester United captain Keane, speaking on Sky Sports, said Haaland’s “general play” was “so poor” and “almost like a League Two player”.

Haaland came under fire from Keane for his lacklustre performance in City’s goalless draw against Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Erling Haaland is the Premier League’s leading scorer this term with 18 goals after winning last season’s Golden Boot during a remarkable first season with City.

He netted 52 times in all competitions as Guardiola’s men lifted the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

Keane conceded the 23-year-old Norwegian is in a class of his own in front of goal.

But City boss Pep Guardiola was unimpressed by Keane’s remarks, insisting any blame for the scoreless display against Arsenal should be shared by the team.

“I don’t agree with him, absolutely not. He’s the best striker in the world and he helped us to win what we won last season. Erling is exceptional,” Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday.

“The reason we don’t create chances is not because of Erling. The standards that Erling has are unbelievable and everyone expects other things.

“There are games where he could be better but I knew during the game against Arsenal that the reason why we were not creating chances was not because of Erling.

“We needed more presence in the box. If we had that Erling would have more space. It happens sometimes. If you want to score goals, bring a lot of players to the opponent keeper, it is as simple as that.”

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City’s failure to beat Arsenal has damaged their bid to win an unprecedented fourth successive English title.

They are three points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of Aston Villa’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola will need Erling Haaland at his predatory best if City are to extend their reign as champions.

And the Spaniard accepts that criticism comes with the territory of being a high-profile player.

“If you don’t want to accept that as a football player, you have to dedicate yourself to another job,” Guardiola said.

“When you are a public figure, you have to accept it. That’s why when you are in contract talks, you have to ask for a lot of money to accept those moments.

“I’m surprised it comes from former players. With journalists I can understand because they have never been on the pitch but the former players is always a surprise (when they are critical).”

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Pep Guardiola believes many people now want Manchester City to fail “more than ever” after the club won their fifth trophy of an outstanding year.

City return to English domestic action at Everton on Wednesday after adding the Club World Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Brazilian side Fluminense in Saudi Arabia to their trophy cabinet, having already lifted the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and European Super Cup in 2023.

No club in English football history has enjoyed such a successful year, although Pep Guardiola won six trophies when in charge of Barcelona in 2009 when the Catalan side won La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, Champions League and Club World Cup titles.

“It is a business, you get credit when you win,” City manager Guardiola said ahead of his side’s trip to Goodison Park. “You don’t win you are nothing, zero, what you have done in the past.”

The Spaniard added: “As much as you win, they want you to fail. More than ever. I felt than when we won the sextuple in Barcelona.

“It’s normal. They don’t want (us to win). In these 14-15 years what we have won, the titles, is unbelievable.

“People say ‘how good they play, how genius it is’. But they give credit just because we win. They don’t have to look further than that.”

Manchester City’s victory over Fluminense gave the Manchester side their first Club World Cup and capped a productive five days in Saudi Arabia that manager Pep Guardiola said had “created incredible team building and team spirit”.

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It was all in marked contrast to their recent Premier League form, with a run of just one win in six games leaving City fifth in the table, six points behind leaders Arsenal.

“In the moment you don’t win you are going to get doubts, absolutely everything,” said Guardiola. “But that is what is nice. That is OK. Doubt again, we’ll see what happens.

“I said before when we played incredibly well against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Tottenham and don’t win.

“It’s a real proof they don’t care the way we play. We played the best levels quite similar to these (past) eight years and we don’t win. It’s a ‘disaster and crisis’.

“Of course we have bad moments like Aston Villa, who were better. But what’s the problem?

“They can play better so we have to accept it and move forward. The reality is we are happy, but they are waiting for us around the corner (to fail).”

But Guardiola, who spent Christmas with his family in Barcelona, insisted his focus now was firmly on Everton.

“Nothing else exists than Goodison Park,” he said. “The greatest athletes forget as quick as possible the success. They celebrate it, but around the corner is another competition.”

City are hoping Rodri will be after the Spain midfielder suffered an ankle injury against Fluminense, but they have doubts over the fitness of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.

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Manchester City won the Club World Cup for the first time to end 2023 with five trophies after a 4-0 win over Fluminense in Jeddah on Friday.

City’s victory extended European clubs’ domination of the competition since 2012 and was never in doubt once Julian Alvarez opened the scoring inside the first minute.

Nino’s first-half own goal realistically ended the Brazilians’ dreams of an upset, before Phil Foden and Alvarez rounded off the scoring in the final 20 minutes.

After clinching the treble of the club’s first ever Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup last season, Manchester City also lifted the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in August.

Pep Guardiola also made history as the first coach to lift the Club World Cup on four occasions and with three different clubs after previously winning the competition twice at Barcelona and once in charge of Bayern Munich.

“To win the treble was truly special, but to win two more trophies and now hold these five major titles shows the unique mentality of this team,” said Guardiola.

“As a manager it is what I am most proud of: that we are always there. No matter how much we win, no matter what trophies we lift, we are there again to fight for the next one.”

City’s poor Premier League form before flying out to Saudi Arabia had raised Fluminense hopes that Guardiola’s men could be vulnerable.

But the growing chasm between Europe’s elite clubs and the rest of the world thanks to huge financial imbalances in the global game was instead exposed.

European clubs have won 22 consecutive games at the Club World Cup.

Manchester City laboured for 45 minutes to break down Japan’s Urawa Reds in the semi-final before cruising to a 3-0 win.

This time, they needed less than 45 seconds.

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Alvarez scored the fastest goal ever in a Club World Cup final as he chested into an unguarded net after Nathan Ake’s shot came back off the post.

At just 23, the Argentine added to his remarkable haul of silverware that includes the World Cup and Copa America at international level, the Copa Libertadores during his time at River Plate, plus Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup medals during just over a year at City.

Fluminense were then dealt the killer blow when captain Nino turned Foden’s cross into his own net after Rodri’s pass opened up the Brazilian defence.

Ederson was called into action to maintain City’s two-goal lead before the break as the Brazilian international made a stunning save from Jhon Arias’ header.

But his opposite number Fabio was the busier goalkeeper. The 37-year-old kept the score down and saved Fluminense’s blushes.

Fabio turned Jack Grealish’s fiercely struck effort behind before half-time and twice denied Foden early in the second half.

City were able to coast through the second period to end a glorious year on a high, but victory could come at a cost.

Rodri was forced off with an injury 20 minutes from time. City have lost all three Premier League games this season when the influential Spanish midfielder has been absent and they travel to in-form Everton on December 27.

However, that did not take the shine off a marquee 12 months that marks the high-point in a trophy-laden 15 years since City’s fortunes were transformed by a takeover from Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Alvarez was the creator for Manchester City’s third as Foden slid in to meet his driven cross.

And the man deputising for the injured Erling Haaland rounded off the scoring two minutes from time with his 10th goal of the season.

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Erling Haaland ended his Champions League goal drought as Manchester City extended their perfect start to the tournament with a 3-1 win at Swiss side Young Boys on Wednesday.

Haaland arrived in rain-lashed Bern without a goal in his previous five Champions League matches.

The City striker had scored 35 goals in his first 30 Champions League appearances and he got back on track in the competition with a second-half double at the Wankdorf Stadium.

Haaland’s penalty restored City’s lead after Meschack Elia had cancelled out Manuel Akanji’s second-half opener for the holders.

Switzerland defender Akanji’s first goal for Manchester City this season came on his return to his homeland, just days after he was sent off in the treble winners’ victory over Brighton in the Premier League.

Haaland struck again in the closing stages to wrap up the points and take him to 11 goals in all competitions this term.

Taking a swipe at critics of Haaland’s inconsistent form this season, City boss Pep Guardiola joked: “Honestly, I’m so concerned!

“People expect him to score four goals every time. People want him to fail, people expect he won’t do it, but I’m sorry this guy is going to score goals all his life.

“Listen, it is important for him to have the chances, with the incredible threat. The players need the ability to find the pass like Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.”

Guardiola’s side sit top of Group G after a third successive victory following their wins against Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig.

Another success against Young Boys at the Etihad Stadium next month would ensure City qualify for the knockout stages with two matches to spare.

“It was an exceptional game. In this pitch it is more difficult, the ball comes in a different shape, but our positional game was really good,” Guardiola said.

“One more game to qualify mathematically and then two more to finish first.”

Guardiola has admitted Manchester City are suffering a mild hangover from winning the treble, with consecutive Premier League defeats against Wolves and Arsenal recently following a League Cup loss to Newcastle.

But City are unbeaten in their last 16 Champions League matches and even the unique challenge posed by Young Boys’ synthetic pitch could not derail their dominance in the tournament.

They remain a potent force even at less than 100 percent and should have taken an immediate lead against Young Boys when Rodri stooped to head just wide from Matheus Nunes’ corner.

Young Boys keeper Anthony Racioppi repelled Jeremy Doku’s blast after the City winger was set up by Jack Grealish.

As City’s pressure mounted, Grealish’s shot was dropped by Racioppi, but Nunes’s close-range effort was cleared off the line by Loris Benito.

Racioppi came to the hosts’ rescue on the stroke of half-time with a fine save from Doku’s curler and then another impressive stop to keep out Rodi’s flicked effort.

City finally made the breakthrough in the 48th minute when Ruben Dias’s header was pushed onto the bar by Racioppi and Akanji was on hand on to poke home from close range.

Their advantage lasted only four minutes as Cheikh Niasse’s defence-splitting pass from deep inside his own half sent Elia sprinting clear.

Ederson raced off his line in a bid to avert the danger but Elia lofted a superb chipped finish over the Brazilian from the edge of the area.

Having unexpectedly squandered the lead, Manchester City quickly went back in front after 67 minutes.

Rodri was sent crashing in the area by Mohamed Ali Camara and Haaland stepped up to smash home the penalty.

Julian Alvarez’s 74th-minute goal was disallowed for a handball by Grealish in the build-up.

But Haaland ensured City would head home with their 100 percent start intact, taking a touch from Rodri’s pass before whipping a fine finish into the far corner from just inside the area in the 86th minute.

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Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City maintained their perfect Premier League start with a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham on Saturday, as Son Heung-min also netted three times in Tottenham’s 5-2 victory at Burnley.

But Chelsea’s huge investment in the transfer market is still to reap reward as the Blues lost 1-0 at home to Nottingham Forest.

In keeping with the early weeks of the season, Manchester City were good enough for the three points without ever hitting top gear.

“Every year is like this at this club. We start a bit late and a bit sloppy because we play right until the last game (of the season) because we are the best club,” said Haaland.

“We will only get better and better from here.”

The English champions were without manager Pep Guardiola as he recovers from back surgery in his native Catalonia.

The home side had not had a shot on target until Julian Alvarez turned home Haaland’s cross to open the scoring on 31 minutes.

Fulham, who were missing influential midfielder Joao Palhinha after his deadline day move to Bayern Munich collapsed on Friday, responded immediately when Tim Ream tapped in from a corner.

Manchester City needed a set-piece of their own to restore the lead in controversial circumstances.

Nathan Ake’s header was allowed to stand despite Manuel Akanji, who was in an offside position, jumping over the ball.

Erling Haaland exploded after the break. He became the fastest player to reach 40 Premier League goals, in just 39 appearances, with a cool finish from Phil Foden’s through ball.

The Norwegian then put his missed penalty at Sheffield United last weekend behind him to slot home from the spot.

Erling Haaland made it six goals in five games this season by completing his hat-trick in stoppage time.

Spurs sit two points behind City after their sparkling start under Ange Postecoglou continued.

Burnley took the lead after just four minutes at Turf Moor through Lyle Foster.

Son, who was moved into a more central role by Postecoglou in place of Richarlison, soon proved his manager had pulled off another masterstroke.

The Tottenham captain’s deft chip levelled before a thunderous strike from Cristian Romero put the visitors in front in first-half stoppage time.

James Maddison’s curling finish from the edge of the box made it 3-1 before Son took centre stage to score twice in three minutes and complete his hat-trick.

“I’m the captain, but I have great players around me,” said Son, who was handed the armband when Harry Kane departed for Bayern Munich.

“My job is really easy and I try to be an example, try to smile and try to take responsibility on and off the pitch.”

Chelsea’s spending on deadline day took their total splashed on new players in just over a year under a consortium fronted by Todd Boehly to more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion).

Moises Caicedo’s move from Brighton, that could rise to £115 million, broke the British transfer record last month.

But the Ecuador international was at fault for the only goal at Stamford Bridge to leave Mauricio Pochettino’s men embarrassed.

Anthony Elanga slotted home three minutes into the second-half after Caicedo gave the ball away inside his own half.

New signing Cole Palmer was thrown on to try and turn the game around, but Chelsea’s lack of a natural goalscorer, despite their huge outlay, was again exposed.

Pochettino has won just one of his first four games in charge to leave Chelsea already eight points adrift of City.

Bournemouth were denied their first win under Andoni Iraola as Bryan Mbuemo snatched a 2-2 draw for Brentford.

Sheffield United and Everton both secured their first point of the season after a pulsating 2-2 draw in the lunchtime kick-off.

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Premier League and European champions Manchester City on Saturday completed the signing of Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol on a five-year deal from RB Leipzig.

No financial details were revealed but Pep Guardiola’s side are understood to have agreed a fee of 90 million euros ($99 million) for the Croatia international.

Gvardiol, 21, has impressed in his two seasons at Leipzig which he joined from Dynamo Zagreb in July 2021.

“I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me,” said Gvardiol of joining a team which won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League last year.

“Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the Treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has.”

Gvardiol becomes Man City’s second signing ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, following fellow Croatian international Mateo Kovacic.

“To be joining City is something very special for me and my family,” continued Gvardiol.

“To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing for me.

“I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.

“To be linking up with Mateo Kovacic will also be special. He’s a top footballer and I hope we can both help City achieve another successful season in 2023/24 and then beyond.”

Capped 21 times for Croatia, Gvardiol made 87 appearances across two seasons for Leipzig winning back-to-back German Cups.

He won two league titles with Zagreb before moving to the Bundesliga.

City will now have six senior central defenders, but Guardiola has insisted that was not a problem given the gruelling nature of the season.

“The season is so long, there is many, many games. It is absolutely not too many,” Guardiola told journalists ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield against Arsenal at Wembley.

“We are very happy to bring Josko to Manchester City,” said City director of football Txiki Begiristain.

“He is a player we have watched closely, and we feel he has a superb set of attributes.

“Top clubs all over Europe have been monitoring him, so to bring him here is great news for us.

“Josko has so many qualities – everything you want in a centre-half. He is fast, competitive, combative, strong in the air, impressive in possession of the ball, with strong self-belief and a good character. He is left-footed, too, which offers us good options at the back.

“He is still young but his progress in the game has been rapid. We feel confident his upward trajectory will continue here at City working with Pep and his staff.”

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Manchester City on Tuesday announced they had completed the signing of Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea following the loss of captain Ilkay Gundogan.

The treble winners said the 29-year-old had signed a four-year contract after the clubs reportedly agreed an initial fee of £25 million ($32 million), with a potential £5 million in add-ons.

Mateo Kovacic joins Pep Guardiola’s side after five years at Chelsea, where he won the Champions League and Europa League and made 221 appearances.

He is City’s first signing of the transfer window and his arrival compensates for the departure of Gundogan, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer on Monday after seven years at the club.

“This is a brilliant move for me and I cannot wait to get started with City,” said Kovacic.

“Anyone who has watched this team under Pep knows how good they are. For me, they are the best in the world.

“The trophies they have won are clear for all to see, but they are also the best footballing side out there.”

Mateo Kovacic is a four-time Champions League winner having also enjoyed success in Europe’s elite competition three times with Real Madrid before joining the Blues.

The midfielder, who began his career with Dinamo Zagreb before a spell at Inter Milan, has earned 95 caps for his country.

City director of football Txiki Begiristain said Mateo Kovacic was a versatile player.

“He can play as a ‘six’ or an ‘eight’, has plenty of experience at top-level clubs and he understands the Premier League.

“It was a very simple decision to bring him to City because he has the tactical and technical qualities we are looking for in a midfielder.”

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ISTANBUL: Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola issued a warning to Real Madrid after his side scripted history by winning their maiden UEFA Champions League title on Sunday.

Manchester City edged defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in a hard-fought final, held at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul on June 10.

Rodri was the hero for Manchester City as he netted one in the 68th minute to separate the two sides who were indulged in a sea-saw battle.

While Manchester City held onto their lead and became the first-ever European champions, Inter Milan lost several golden opportunities to bring the score back to even.

Speaking to the media after a blockbuster season, Pep Guardiola issued a warning to the leading Champions League winner Real Madrid.

“Be careful Real Madrid, we’re 13 UCLs away but we’re coming for you. We are on our way! If you sleep a little bit, we will catch you,” said Guardiola.

Notably, Real Madrid are a record 14-time winners of the treble. Thus, Pep Guardiola’s side will have to make plenty of hard yards to catch up with the Los Blancos’ tally of titles.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City also came face to face with the defending champions Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League.

The first leg of the highly-anticipated semi-final saw the two sides settling for a 1-1 stalemate after Kevin de Bruyne’s 67th-minute strike levelled Vinicius Jr‘s first-half goal.

However, Manchester City were at their absolute best in the second leg as they blew away the defending champions Real Madrid by 4-0 to set up a final clash with Inter Milan.

The 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at the Ataturk Stadium was a fitting conclusion to their incredible season. Pep Guardiola’s team was outstanding all season and was duly named champions.

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LONDON: Manchester City won the Premier League for the fifth time in six seasons on Saturday, taking a first step to a possible golden treble of trophies as second-placed Arsenal lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners’ challenge finally evaporated after a second consecutive defeat left Mikel Arteta’s side four points adrift of City with one game left for them to play.

Taiwo Awonyi’s first-half goal also ensured Forest avoided relegation in their first season back in the top flight for 23 years.

City’s third successive English title has turned Sunday’s league game at home to Chelsea into a celebration match.

Pep Guardiola’s men will now look to complete a treble when they face local rivals Manchester United and Italian giants Inter Milan in next month’s FA Cup and Champions League finals respectively.

City have become the dominant force in the English game since an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover transformed their fortunes in 2008.

But admiration for the quality of their football under manager Guardiola has also been accompanied by questions over their financing, with City facing a mammoth 115 charges for breaking Premier League rules.

Nevertheless, City captain Ilkay Gundogan insisted his side had been pushed hard this season.

“The Premier League is without doubt the most demanding and competitive league in the world so that tells you everything about what an achievement this is,” he said.

But for Arsenal manager Arteta, a former assistant to Guardiola, there were thoughts of what might have been for the longtime leaders.

“First of all congratulations to Manchester City for winning the championship but it is a sad day for us,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

“Now we have to face the reality, today we gave a goal away and we were not good enough to break them down. We could play for three hours and we would not have done it.”

By contrast, Forest manager Steve Cooper told the BBC: “We limited them (Arsenal) to very little, incredible desire and we got over the line. It was everything we wished for from today. It is what the players and the supporters particularly deserve.”

– Man Utd, Newcastle eye Champions League –

Manchester United and Newcastle were on the brink of qualifying for next season’s Champions League after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.

United’s 1-0 victory at Bournemouth, combined with Liverpool’s failure to beat Villa, left Erik ten Hag’s men and Newcastle within touching distance of ensuring top-four finishes.

Fourth-placed United and Newcastle, in third, are both three points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool, who have only one game left.

At the Vitality Stadium, United took the lead in the ninth minute through Casemiro’s acrobatic bicycle kick from close-range.

“We are nearly there, but we are not there. I don’t care what happens in Liverpool, it’s about us,” Ten Hag said.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp watched from the stands at Anfield as he served a touchline ban following his recent rant about referee Paul Tierney.

Villa wasted a 22nd-minute penalty when Ollie Watkins fired wide after the striker was brought down but they still went ahead five minutes later through Jacob Ramsey’s volley.

Fans’ favourite Roberto Firmino, set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, came on late in the game  and the Brazilian forward then marked his Anfield farewell with a close-range finish in stoppage-time.

– Everton late show –

“We would have loved to make it exciting for another week, but we will make the Europa League our competition. I am not that spoilt,” said Klopp.

For Liverpool’s local rivals Everton, dreams of European football have long been replaced by the need to avoid relegation.

Yerry Mina’s last-gasp equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Wolves boosted the Toffees’ hopes of avoiding playing in the second tier for the first time since 1954.

Sean Dyche’s men fell behind after 34 minutes when Hwang Hee-chan netted from close-range.

Mina bundled in Everton’s leveller nine minutes into stoppage-time to leave them fourth bottom, two points above the relegation zone, with Leeds and Leicester snapping at their heels.

“If you are a footballer you can’t just sign up for the good things,” said Everton manager Dyche. “You have to fight to be in the Premier League and we are fighting.”

Tottenham’s season to forget hit a new low with a 3-1 home defeat against Brentford.

Spurs took the lead through Harry Kane’s 28th league goal this season, but a Bryan Mbeumo brace and Yoane Wissa’s late strike left them floundering in eighth place.

Frustration has mounted throughout the final weeks of a troubled season for Tottenham and fans hung banners outside the stadium pointing the finger of blame at owners ENIC, while chanting for chairman Daniel Levy to resign.

Fulham and Crystal Palace shared a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage.

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MANCHESTER: Manchester City produced a landmark performance to reach the Champions League final as Bernardo Silva’s double put Real Madrid to the sword in a 4-0 thrashing that secured a 5-1 aggregate win for the English champions on Wednesday.

Eder Militao’s own goal and Julian Alvarez’s strike in stoppage time rounded off a memorable night for Pep Guardiola’s men as they moved to within three wins of matching Manchester United’s treble in 1998/99.

“To play like that against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals is a huge satisfaction,” said Guardiola.

A fifth Premier League title in six seasons appears a formality with City needing just three points from their final three games, while United await in the FA Cup final on June 3.

But it is a first ever Champions League that City crave the most and they will be strong favourites to finally conquer Europe against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.

Seven years into Guardiola’s reign as City boss, the home fans were sent into seventh heaven by the quality of a display that rivalled the former Barcelona boss’ Champions League final wins in charge of the Catalan giants in 2009 and 2011.

Madrid dashed City’s dreams at this stage last season with a remarkable comeback from two goals down in the dying seconds of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But Carlo Ancelotti’s men this time had no answer to City’s excellence.

“I had the feeling we had the pain of last year in our stomach,” added Guardiola.

“Today it all came out in our energy and desire. Sport always give you a second chance to take revenge. We had the luck to get that chance this year and we took it.”

Were it not for Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the defending champions would have been on the end of a hiding before half-time.

The giant Belgian needed all of his two-metre (6ft 7in) frame to claw Erling Haaland’s header round the post.

Haaland had already been denied his 53rd goal of the season by Courtois with another downward header.

Rodri, John Stones and Jack Grealish also saw pot shots fly off target from the edge of the area, but Madrid’s luck finally ran out on 23 minutes.

Kevin De Bruyne unpicked the lock as his pass found Silva inside the area, and he smashed high past Courtois’ left hand.

– No ‘drama’ for Ancelotti –

The visitors had barely registered a touch inside the City half for the opening half hour, but were inches away from an equaliser 10 minutes before half-time when a piledriver from Toni Kroos rattled the crossbar.

Just as Madrid were beginning to settle, City grabbed the second goal their first half dominance deserved.

The in-form Ilkay Gundogan was denied a fifth goal in May by Militao’s block, but the ball looped up kindly for Silva to head into an unguarded net.

City had to show a different side to their game early in the second-half to weather Madrid’s reaction and ensure there was no repeat of last season’s late drama between the sides.

“We have played against a team that deserved to win,” said Ancelotti.

“We don’t have to make a drama of it. This squad did very well this year, did very well last year and we weren’t able to reach another final.”

The closest Real came to a lifeline was a dipping free-kick from David Alaba that Ederson tipped over.

At the other end Courtois continued to win his personal battle with Haaland by turning the Norwegian’s shot onto the bar when one-on-one.

But City won the war to move within one match of completing a transformation in the club’s fortunes since an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008.

The next blow to the Spanish giants was self-inflicted as Militao deflected Manuel Akanki’s header past Courtois 15 minutes from time.

Haaland was replaced by Alvarez two minutes from the end and that was all the Argentine World Cup winner needed to make his mark as he slotted home from Phil Foden’s pass.

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