AU

Champions crash out in 'extraordinary' penalty drama

18/04/2024

Defending champions Manchester City have been knocked out of the Champions League by the kings of Europe in a thrilling penalty shootout.

Real Madrid’s Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was the hero, saving penalties from Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovavic to stun the Etihad Stadium crowd.

Antonio Rudiger buried the winning penalty for Madrid for a 4-3 quarter-final second leg shootout win in Manchester on Thursday (AEST).

Watch every goal and every minute of the 2024 UEFA Champions League knockout rounds, streaming ad free, live and exclusive on Stan Sport

The game went into penalties after it finished 1-1 in regulation and extra time.

Brazilian ace Rodrygo fired 14 time champion Madrid ahead in the 12th minute and Belgium superstar Kevin De Bruyne levelled for City in the 76th.

That locked the tie at 4-4 on aggregate after the first leg ended 3-3 in Madrid last week.

City fans were left ruing Bernardo’s weak penalty miss in particular.

Lunin barely had to move as the Portugal star chipped the ball directly at him.

Statistics show that going down the middle is a sharp shootout tactic but Bernardo hit the ball without power or conviction as Lunin stood his ground.

champions crash out in 'extraordinary' penalty drama

Bernardo Silva of Manchester City reacts after missing his penalty.

“That was that was one of the more extraordinary penalty shootouts,” Mark Pougatch said on Stan Sport.

“Bernardo Silva chipped at the goalkeeper like you’re warming the goalkeeper up before the game start. It was like, can I just see what happened there?”

City hadn’t lost any of their last 27 matches in all competitions, and were unbeaten in the Champions League in 22 matches – since a 3-1 loss at Madrid in the 2022 semi-finals.

Madrid have won a record 14 European titles and join Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.

Bayern beat Arsenal 1-0 in the day’s other quarter-final to confirm that the trophy would be leaving England.

Defeat ended City’s bid to become the first English team to win back to back Champions League titles and their pursuit of successive trebles.

City are still challenging for the Premier League title and FA Cup.

“I have the opportunity to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to these players,” City manager Pep Guadiola said.

“The performance, the commitment was exceptional.”

– with AP

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