Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid: Pep Guardiola's side win 4-2 on aggregate - BBC Sport
Manchester City reach the Champions League quarter-finals after knocking out record 13-time winners Real Madrid 4-2 on aggregate.
Last updated on .From the section Champions League

Manchester City finished off the job they started back in February by deservedly overcoming Real Madrid to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Pep Guardiola's side will now face Lyon in the one-game knockout format in Lisbon after inflicting Zinedine Zidane's first elimination from the Champions League, the French manager having won it three times in his three previous seasons in charge.

It was a victory City fully merited as their intense pressing game forced Real into numerous mistakes, with France World Cup-winning defender Raphael Varane in particular unable to cope with the pressing of Gabriel Jesus.

He robbed Varane to set up Raheem Sterling to score in the ninth minute but Karim Benzema's towering header before half-time set up the possibility of a tense second period.

City, though, created the better opportunities in an excellent performance - whereas Real missed the leadership and nous of central defender Sergio Ramos, who was suspended after being sent off in the first leg.

Without Ramos alongside him, the uncomfortable Varane made another error when his headed back-pass fell short of Thibaut Courtois to allow the lurking Jesus to pounce in the game's decisive moment after 68 minutes.
• None No Aguero, no problem - tactical analysis of how City beat Real
• None Real win is just one step - Guardiola
• None 'This feels like Man City's time - now they must deliver'
• None Football Daily: Man City masterclass but was that the 'Real' Madrid?

City's superiority over Real was actually more emphatic than the scoreline suggests.

From the opening seconds, with Phil Foden in an advanced role and the Spanish champions unsettled by the mobility of Sterling and Jesus, City's relentless pressing and intensity gave them control.

It was epitomised by Jesus - who hounded Varane into submission - but City had stars all over the pitch, with Kevin de Bruyne producing some brilliant passes and Kyle Walker positive in defence and attack.

Goalkeeper Ederson was faultless when called upon and there were few signs of the defensive frailties that have undermined them in the Premier League this season.

If City perform like this against Lyon they will be difficult to stop, but the French side must not be taken lightly after disposing of Juventus.

The Champions League has always eluded City and has been out of Guardiola's reach since his glory days at Barcelona - but if this quality and discipline can be maintained, this could be the season that all changes.

Real Madrid captain Ramos was a noisy presence from his seat behind the technical area as he encouraged his team-mates on the pitch - but Zidane would have given anything to have him out there alongside them.

The 34-year-old remains a magnificent defender with real presence and at the Etihad Real paid a heavy price for his red card in the first leg of this quarter-final, played at the Bernabeu six months ago.

His organisation and composure was badly missed with his usual central defensive partner Varane - upon whom the burden of responsibility fell in Ramos' absence - suffering a personal nightmare.

Jesus was Varane's tormentor in chief, robbing him of possession to set up Sterling's opener - his 100th goal for the club - then chasing down his weak attempt at a headed back-pass to score City's crucial second.

Real have the quality of Benzema as a constant threat in attack but Ramos is still the glue that holds this team together and they came badly unstuck in the face of City's desire and energy.

'We have to accept we lost to a good team' - what they said

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane: "We cant be happy obviously, we have lost the game and we are out.

"We are proud of what we achieved this season, this is football. We lost to a good team and have to accept it. We had our chances to score.

"I am the Real Madrid manager until something happens out of the ordinary.

"You don't need to ask any more question about my future. We will all have a rest and come back again next season."
• None Pep Guardiola is the third individual to eliminate Real Madrid in the knockout stages of the Champions League on more than one occasion, along with Marcello Lippi (1995-96, 2002-03) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (2000-01, 2006-07).
• None Real have been eliminated before the quarter-finals in consecutive Champions League campaigns for the first time since 2009-10 - they had reached at least the semi-finals in each of the eight seasons between 2010-11 and 2017-18.
• None City's victory marks the first time an English side have won both legs in a Champions League knockout tie against Spanish opposition since 2008-09, when Liverpool won 5-0 on aggregate against Real.
• None Zinedine Zidane was eliminated from a Champions League knockout tie for the first time as Real boss, having progressed from each of the previous 12.
• None Raheem Sterling scored his 100th goal in all competitions for City, becoming the first Englishman to reach three figures for the club since Dennis Tueart in 1981.
• None City forward Gabriel Jesus is just the second player to score in both legs of a Champions League knockout tie against Real for an English side, after Ruud van Nistelrooy with Manchester United in 2002-03.
• None Karim Benzema has scored five goals in his last six appearances in the Champions League knockout stages for Real.
• None Attempt missed. David Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
• None Luka Modric (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Attempt missed. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Bernardo Silva.
• None Offside, Manchester City. João Cancelo tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.
• None Attempt saved. Kyle Walker (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
• None Attempt missed. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross following a corner.
• None Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Raheem Sterling. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
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