Man City 2 Real Madrid 1 (agg 4-2): Varane horror show sees Sterling and Jesus fire Citizens into quarter-finals
GABRIEL JESUS was once again the saviour as his second half goal guided Manchester City into the last eight.
The Brazilian striker popped up with a vital headed equaliser in the first leg in the Bernabeu five long months ago.
And he seized on a mistake by Raphael Varane just when Pep Guardiola’s nerves were starting to jangle.
City had to wait more than 160 days to try to finish the job off after the best night in their European history in late February no wonder it was nail-biting.
But they ended Zinedine Zidane’s proud unbeaten record in the knock-out stages of this competition and who will fancy playing them now?
Ultimately they had French ace Varane to thank for two clangers which gifted them both goals on the night.
The first one came within 10 minutes as he dithered in the box after picking up a pass from Thibaut Courtois and had his pocket picked by Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian squared for Raheem Sterling who had the simple task of rolling the ball home. It was his 100th goal for City – he has scored better ones but not many more important.
Sterling dreams of playing for the Spanish giants one day and also turned in an eye-catching display when he came off the bench in the first match back in February.
You can be sure the Madrid hierarchy will have taken note.
Phil Foden had been picked almost as a centre forward and without suspended skipper Sergio Ramos, Madrid were wobbling.
His runs were creating space for Sterling, who danced his way into the box before being denied by a fine tackle by Casemiro.
Surely there would have been no way back had he scored there but the Spanish champions men were not out of it.
There is a reason why Zinedine Zidane has won all 12 of his knock-out ties as Madrid boss and his team began to show it.
Karim Benzema collected a pass from Eden Hazard and turned smartly past Aymeric Laporte before bringing a super save out of Ederson.
From the resulting corner, former Chelsea man Hazard found space and fizzed in a low shot but the Brazilian keeper’s handling was sure again.
Yet the visitors had improved massively from their shaky start and just before the half hour mark they were back in the game.
Rodrygo went past Joao Cancelo far too easily on the right and hung up a cross that Benzema powered past Ederson.
Pep Guardiola had been dismissive when asked before the game whether the French forward should be classed in the same bracket as Lionel Messi.
He shouldn’t be but what a striker he has been for the Spanish giants over the years and maybe he had a point to prove here.
In the same press conference Rodri had warned how you can never write Madrid off and how right he was.
Even so, the chances were still coming for City. De Bruyne intercepts clearance from Thibaut Courtois and found Foden but his shot was just wide of the post.
Then KdB almost caught out his Belgium team-mate Courtois by whipping in a corner with such force that the keeper punched out from under his own crossbar.
A high quality first half came to an end with the tie very much in the balance.
Like in the first half, City began like they wanted to put the tie to bed as De Bruyne slid through a pass which Sterling got on the end of.
But Courtois got a vital hand on his effort to turn it wide of the post.
Once again De Bruyne tried to catch out his Belgium pal at his front post from a corner but once again he was wise to it.
Then Foden ran at the Madrid defence again and laid it off for Ilkay Gundogan who could have shot but instead laid it off to Sterling who could not get it over a sliding Courtois.
Gundogan did pick the right option when his first time pass put De Bruyne through but he was denied by a last ditch tackle from Dani Carvajal.
City were on top but could not switch off and Benzema once again found a yard of space for himself before firing a shot straight at Ederson.
Then De Bruyne and Gundogan once again linked up to create a chance for Jesus but Courtois made a smart save.
The Samba star did not have to wait long for another chance though as sub Bernardo Silva lofted a long ball forward.
Varane once again failed to deal with it as his back header was always short and Jesus got there ahead of Courtois to divert the ball home.
Ramos sat just behind the Madrid subs could not believe what he was seeing. He will have to wait for another year to add to his amazing medal collection.
Could this now be City’s year instead?
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