This is never how it ends. Not for Real Madrid. Not for this Real Madrid, the kings of Europe, the rulers of the Champions League.
But it did. They were beaten to a pulp. Utterly humiliated. Chewed up and spat out like they were some muck in the farmers league. (or the Premier League, as it is more commonly known).
Manchester City tore Real Madrid apart on Wednesday night, prevailing 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final to dump the reigning holders out.
Sure, they had done reasonably well to return to the semi-finals. Despite a poor domestic season – well done for beating Frank Lampard’s Chelsea twice. I guess – and even after the first leg, their aura and mystique in this competition remained.
But the tables had been turn with the switching of legs from last season’s meeting. One which notably ended with Man City collapsing under the weight of the Santiago Bernabeu and the 13 European Cups in the trophy cabinet at that point – it soon became 14.
Whereas you usually have to cut off Real Madrid’s head to know they’re well and truly dead, Man City played their Uno reverse card. It turns out Los Blancos should have buried them when they were under the cosh in Spain. They paid the price. the UFABET report
By half-time back at the Etihad Stadium with Man City two to the good, people were already debating whether this was the finest performance of the Pep Guardiola era. The defending champions had barely laid a glove on their challengers, Toni Kroos’ speculative 30-yard drive bouncing off the woodwork the only action completed in the opposition’s half.
Even when Real Madrid had the ball, they created little and couldn’t keep hold of it. Legendary midfielders like Luka Modric and Kroos resembled Gary Neville in his infamous playing-day swan-song, realising that being burned by West Brom’s James Morrison was the end of his career.