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Real Madrid beat Man City to reach Champions League semifinals

Rudiger scored the decisive spot-kick to send Real into the last four and a clash against Bayern Munich

Published: Thu 18 Apr 2024, 2:22 AM

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  • AFP

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Real Madrid players celebrate after beating Manchester City. — AFP

Real Madrid players celebrate after beating Manchester City. — AFP

Real Madrid beat holders Manchester City 4-3 on penalties to reach the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday after the last-eight tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.

Rodrygo's early goal put the 14-time title-holders in charge at the Etihad Stadium after the first leg had ended 3-3.


Kevin De Bruyne had City back level with only 14 minutes of normal time remaining. After extra time failed to break the deadlock Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive spot-kick to send Real into the last four and a clash against Bayern Munich which had earlier beaten Arsenal 1-0 in the second leg for a place in the last four.

City's Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic both misfired in the shootout to put Madrid in the driving seat and Rudiger slotted their final effort past keeper Ederson to extinguish City's dreams of a second treble.

After the teams had slugged out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg, Madrid, who have hoisted the Champions League trophy a record 14 times, took the lead in the tie when Rodrygo stunned the Etihad crowd with a goal in the 12th minute.

That was Madrid's final shot on target on a night that City had 68% possession, but the home side squandered chance after chance before Kevin De Bruyne finally drew them level in the 76th.

In Munich, Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich powered in a 63rd-minute header to give them a 1-0 victory over a toothless Arsenal on Wednesday and send them through to the semifinals for the first time in four years with a 3-2 aggregate win.

Germany international Kimmich timed his run into the box perfectly to connect with a Raphael Guerreiro cross and put Bayern, who had earlier hit the woodwork twice from a double chance, in the driving seat following a 2-2 first-leg draw.



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