Real Madrid shipwrecked by an unbeatable City side

If there was a day not to fail it was in Manchester against City in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. 90 minutes away from another final and with an impeccable record in Europe, there was no reason to believe that Real Madrid would play one of the worst games of the season.  

Ancelotti had already said in the previous training session that they would have to suffer, and even predicted an early goal from City. But what happened at the Etihad (or at the City of Manchester, as UEFA likes to call it for sponsorship reasons) was not in the Whites' fans' plans... or maybe it was, but the miracles of last season prevented them from seeing tragedy.  

Guardiola learned more from the first leg than Ancelotti and corrected mistakes. The high pressing and possession were perfect. Gone was the absurd handling of the past to defend an indefensible style. The Spanish coach won the midfield and deactivated the Modric-Kroos-Valverde system on the day when the three players were least successful.

Modric ended up substituted in the 60th minute after a game plagued by mistakes and bad decisions, Kroos sent a ball against the post with a long-range shot out of desperation and Valverde did not ride because no one accompanied him in his adventures.  

Two miracles from Courtois that irritated Haaland gave City wings. Oh Jude, don't let me down! go the lyrics of the Beatles song sung by the crowd before the game. And so it was, a perfect move that Kroos did not defend well and Bernardo Silva scored the first thanks to De Bruyne's pinpoint pass. 

Up until the 23rd minute, Real Madrid had managed 25 passes and City 240. Real were lost and were losing balls at the same rate as the English were creating danger. Once again they were in the box and another misdirection led to a ball that Silva headed into the net again. The 2-0 lead on the stroke of half-time did not wake Real Madrid either, who just wanted to close the door on the dressing room and make it all a nightmare. 

The Benzema-Vinicius partnership has officially dissolved. Something is wrong with the Frenchman who was not at the Bernabéu offering the Copa del Rey to the fans and who refused to speak, as captain, after the Champions League elimination. His gestures of denial and his certain indolence on the pitch have raised alarm bells for the fans, who see his presence for yet another season complicating the arrival of a centre-forward.  

In the 60th minute Modric made way for Rüdiger in a strange change that brought Camavinga into midfield. It was the second white joy after the saves of Courtois. A midfielder who is not on fire with the ball and capable of taking over from the Croatian one day, with Ancelotti's permission.  

Asensio, Tchouameni, Lucas and Ceballos were the next changes as Akanji and Julián Álvarez closed out the scoring as Real Madrid were running out of minutes to end their European reign. Carletto thanked the substitutes who deserved more minutes, but their obsession with the deans complicated their growth.   

The white impotence was that of Ancelotti on the bench unable to stop the onslaught of City who had studied their opponents very well. The symptoms of white exhaustion of the last few games disappeared with the celestial music of the Champions League, but the inertia ended on the most inopportune day and in the most painful way.

Now it is time to take stock of the season. A disastrous league that Madrid threw away in January, a drubbing at the Camp Nou, the Cup title, the Champions League semi-finals, the heavy defeat in Manchester, the veterans, the newcomers, the signings... the coach.  

If Florentino Pérez cannot make big signings, or rather, the only two that can be made at the moment such as Mbappé or Haaland, the bet will be on a calm and expert bench that works more on the group than on tactics. The problem is that the old guard will be chosen and the transition will never be completed.  

Real Madrid extinguishes its star in Europe while another one lights up in the sky. Saying goodbye is never easy and even less so when you leave behind an admirable legacy, but the time had come to stop suffering. Noble memories of familiar madridismo, that which will watch over your laurels with respect and emotion.  

Guardiola and his City reach another Champions League final. What Chelsea took from them in the pandemic, they will now be able to achieve against an earthly Inter. The price of a title that only this team can pay.