Manchester City’s pursuit of a second Champions League title ended in tears last night as they suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid, resulting in a 5-1 aggregate exit.
The tie was effectively decided in the 20th minute when Bernardo Silva was shown a straight red card for a deliberate handball on the goal line to deny a certain goal.
Vinicius Junior converted the subsequent penalty, leaving City with an impossible mountain to climb against the fifteen-time winners.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Pep Guardiola’s side produced a spirited response and pulled a goal back through Erling Haaland just before the interval.
However, as City poured forward in search of a miracle, Vinicius Junior struck again in the 93rd minute to seal the victory for the visitors.
Guardiola was visibly emotional after the match, praising his team’s “unbelievable” effort while lamenting the fine margins that have seen Real Madrid eliminate City for three consecutive seasons.
The focus for the defending champions now turns exclusively to the Premier League, where they trail Arsenal by nine points with a game in hand.