Man City’s Champions League hopes ended by Real Madrid once again

By Andy Hampson, Press Association

Manchester City’s Champions League hopes were ended by Real Madrid yet again despite a determined comeback attempt at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side registered 22 shots at goal despite playing most of the second leg of their last-16 tie with 10 men as they sought to overturn a 3-0 aggregate deficit from last week’s loss at the Bernabeu.

Ultimately they went down to a battling 2-1 defeat on the night – meaning a crushing 5-1 reverse overall – after Vinicius Junior struck either side of an Erling Haaland equaliser.

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City paid the price for the dismissal of captain Bernardo Silva for handling the Vinicius shot that led to his 22nd-minute opener from the penalty spot.

Haaland gave the hosts some hope but Vinicius, after missing several other chances, had the final word.

It was the fourth time in five seasons City had failed to get past the Spanish giants and, after such a spirited effort, they will rue last week’s first-half display all the more.

The tone for a frantic evening was set in the first minute as Federico Valverde, hat-trick hero in the first leg, got behind the City defence only to fluff an attempted lob.

City were not unnerved and tore into Real with Rayan Cherki and Rodri both testing Thibaut Courtois and Tijjani Reijnders having an effort blocked.

Cherki also had a shot deflected over but a raucous atmosphere was instantly deflated as Real applied a telling blow after another manic passage of play.

Vinicius broke clear and rattled a shot against a post. It rebounded off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and was kept in play by the visitors before being worked back to the Brazilian, who lashed another fierce effort at goal.

This time Silva blocked with his arm.

Confusion reigned after the flag was raised but, after it was determined Vinicius had been onside, the decision to award a spot-kick and send Silva off was straightforward, although the whole process took a frustratingly long time.

Vinicius missed from the spot last week but this time made no mistake to put Real 4-0 up on aggregate.

City battled on with Haaland having a shot cleared off the line but Vinicius spurned two glorious chances and Brahim Diaz also went close.

City finally struck four minutes before the break as Haaland turned in from close range after a Jeremy Doku cross was inadvertently diverted into his path by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Real were forced to send on replacement keeper Andriy Lunin for the second half and he was soon tested by Haaland while Vinicius was wayward again at the other end.

Haaland’s first goal in over a month was not enough to keep him on the pitch as Guardiola sacrificed him among the changes he made to inject more urgency into the side.

One of the players sent on, Antoine Semenyo, did put the ball in the net, as did Rayan Ait-Nouri, but both were ruled out for offside.

Vinicius was also denied by a flag but finally struck again in stoppage time.