Juan Pablo Aravena
Real Madrid did it again in the UEFA Champions League, putting on another spectacular display.
The “Merengue” team seemed dead, buried and eliminated from the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League against Manchester City, but if this season’s edition has taught us anything, it is that the Spanish team coached by Carlo Ancelotti should never be considered dead. With Rodrygo Goes and Karim Benzema as the architects of an epic comeback, the “Merengues” managed to beat the English team 3-1 after 120 minutes of play and, with that, they secured a place in the final of Europe’s most important club competition. There, they will face Liverpool, who beat Villarreal in the other semi-final on Tuesday.
Real Madrid appeared to be in command for most of the game, dominating the first half with ease, but they were unable to capitalize on the opportunities they created and continually failed to finish the game. Vinícius Junior was the target of criticism in the first half. City, on the other hand, had several chances to convert, but Thibaut Courtois was sensational in denying the English side’s attempts. The first 45 minutes concluded with no goals, but the second half was more exciting.
Vinícius Junior came close to scoring early in the second half, but once again missed from close range when he was beaten. The Spanish side could not find the key to breach the Manchester City defense, and the road was further complicated when Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the 73rd minute. In this way, Real Madrid needed two goals to achieve the comeback. In the setting of a UEFA Champions League semi-final against one of the top teams in the world, this was a difficult feat to accomplish.
Rodrygo adds to his legacy in the UEFA Champions League
It is thought that some players have been touched by a magical wand and are destined for pivotal moments. The entry of Brazilian Rodrygo ended up being crucial, as he fueled “Merengue’s” hopes when he scored in the 90th minute with a shot from close range after a great assist from Karim Benzema. The former Santos player became the hero of the match when he made it 2-1 — and the equalizer on aggregate — with a header in stoppage time from Dani Carvajal’s cross.
That goal forced extra time, but there was no doubt that Real Madrid had full control of the match. That was even more evident at the start of extra time, when Benzema scored to make it 3-1 with a penalty in the 95th minute of play. With that goal, Benzema tied Cristiano Ronaldo for the most goals in a single UEFA Champions League season, when only games from the round of 16 and onwards are counted. The Frenchman continues to add to his legend as one of the “Merengue’s” top scorers.
City looked for an equalizer by all means, but it wasn’t enough, and they couldn’t even carry much danger to Courtois’ goal except for a couple of isolated attempts. Thus, the Spanish team achieved the epic feat and won 6-5 on aggregate. Rodrygo’s name will be etched in stone for what he accomplished in this match: the Brazilian once again shown that he is built for big moments.
Now, they are just 90 minutes away from achieving the European feat, but they will face Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool: a team that can make it even more complicated than City due to their intensity and physical capacity. But with this Real Madrid, nothing is impossible; this is something they proved once again on another of the many magical nights that have taken place at the Santiago Bernabéu.
