FT: Champions League Semi-Final: Manchester City 4-0 Real Madrid Live Coverage

Manchester City vs Real Madrid – LIVE

Manchester City look to take a major step towards lifting the Champions League trophy for the first time as they host Real Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final tie tonight.

With Inter Milan waiting in the final, whoever comes out on top here at the Etihad will be big favourites to get the job done on June 10 in Istanbul.

Pep Guardiola’s came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu last week, with Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliant strike cancelling out Vinicius Jr’s first-half stunner.

De Bruyne, like Jack Grealish and John Stones, return to the starting lineup after being rested against Everton, as the City boss goes with the same side from the first leg.

With Barcelona officially winning LaLiga, Real’s full focus is now on the Champions League and winning the competition for a 15th time.

The defending champions have Karim Benzema and Vinicius, who scored three times between them last season at the Etihad, back in the side tonight, while Eder Militao returns from suspension. Follow all the action with Infoexpert24 Sport’s LIVE blog below:

Man City team news

Starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Akanji, Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Silva, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Carson, Phillips, Laporte, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Foden, Palmer, Lewis

Real Madrid team news

They’ve gone very early!

Eder Militao straight back into the side as he returns from suspension, with Antonio Rudiger dropping out. Eduardo Camavinga once again gets the nod at left-back.

Starting XI:Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius

Subs:Lunin, Vallejo, Nacho, Hazard, Asensio, Odriozola, Lucas, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Rudiger, Mendy, Mariano

Here we go!

Teams will be out onto the pitch very shortly.

Last night’s match between Inter and Milan wasn’t exactly full of excitement or drama – surely it’s going to very different here!

Players are out, flags all over the shop and some stringy stuff (official name) throw from the stands. Now you know it’s a really big game.

Champions League anthem as popular as ever at the Etihad. Can barely hear it over the boos.

KICK-OFF!

We’re up and running at the Etihad!

2 mins:City with all of the ball in the opening couple of minutes, settling into their work. That is until Silva lets the ball bounce off him and run out of play.

Early signs would suggest Real are going to be happy to sit back and wait for their moments on the counter. Vinicius and Rodrygo staying wide.

4 mins:That will suit Real just fine. Walker gets bored of the all the passing and lets fly fom 30 yards out, just about keeps it inside the stadium. Wild effort.

Doubt very much Guardiola has been encouraging Walker to do that in the build-up to the match.

6 mins: Lovely cross into the six-yard box from De Bruyne, Militao does well to win the header in front of Haaland.

Loops straight up, and Courtois can claim comfortably enough. That’s pretty much the first touch Real have had of the ball so far, they’re under real pressure.

Haaland moaning about some early decisions from the referee, who responds by charging up to within two inches of the striker’s face.

8 mins:Real are struggling. Badly.

De Bruyne slides a pass through to Haaland, he knocks it past Courtois but from a tight angle can only cut it back into the box… nobody there in a City shirt.

The hosts stay on the attack though, Rodri with a great run but he drags the shot just wide of the far post.

11 mins:The City dominance continues, more than 80% of the ball so far. Feels like more, the likes of Benzema and Vinicius haven’t had a sniff.

De Bruyne fires a cross in, Militao flicks a header away. Real briefly have it back… City win it within seconds. Relentless from the hosts.

12 mins: Real so deep that the space is there for City when they work it towards the edge of the box.

Stones this time is free 20 yards out, catches the strike decently enough but it’s always flying wide. This doesn’t feel particularly sustainable, even for Real Madrid.

13 mins:WHAT A SAVE!

Grealish clips a brilliant ball in, Haaland six yards out powers the header at goal but somehow Courtois keeps it out from close range. The City man had to score.

Ball comes out to Grealish, his turn to fire an effort over the bar.

15 mins:This is ridiculously one-sided. Real cannot put a couple of passes together.

City corner taken by Grealish, Courtois punches it back out to him. Comes to Gundogan, his cross has too much on it and Kroos wins a throw-in on the far side.

Real will take their sweet time over this. Time for a breather.

18 mins:Real have a few passes at long last. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s in their own box, and Courtois then has to lump it long.

City swarm forward again, Valverde brings Gundogan down and the hosts have another chance to put the ball into the Real box.

19 mins:De Bruyne tries to catch Courtois out, goes for goal as he whips it towards the near post. Real goalkeeper always knew that was curling wide though.

Real have done incredibly well to keep themselves on level terms here. Most other sides would be two or three down.

21 mins:Good tackle from Modric, as he slides in to halt De Bruyne’s progress. Can only concede the corner though.

AND IT’S A RIDICULOUS SAVE! Akanji nods it back across goal, Haaland’s header destined for the far corner but Courtois has managed to claw it away. Absolutely unbelievable.

GOAL! Man City 1-0 Real Madrid | Bernardo Silva 23′

DOESN’T SAVE THIS ONE!

To say that’s been coming would be a serious understatement.

City have been incredible and they have their reward. De Bruyne slides a lovely pass through to Silva, and he slams the finish past Courtois.

26 mins:Well then. Can Real wake themselves up?

No signs of it yet, City continue to win the ball back at will and fly forward at every opportunity. They could finish this off before half-time the way they’re playing.

27 mins: Nearly

Haaland on the edge of the box, onto his right foot and hammers an effort at goal but it flies wide of the far post. That wasn’t far away at all.

I would suggest the Real players might want to avoid the Spanish papers in the morning, the way this is going…

30 mins:Real have completed 41 passes so far. City have had 229. Rodrygo and Vinicius have made one between them.

Half an hour gone and even Guardiola can’t have expected it to be going this well.

32 mins:The first Real attack of the match, and they’re very nearly in.

Lovely one-two, Vinicius is in behind on the left and charging through on goal… until Walker starts the engines. Roars back and beats Vinicius for pace, winning the ball back for good measure.

33 mins:And now Rodrygo plays the ball through to Benzema, he’s got behind the City defenders but Ederson is off his line to claim.

Real starting to come into this now, and they’re only one goal behind. Still right in it.

35 mins:OFF THE BAR!

Kroos from all of 25 yards out, smashes the shot at goal and it hammers back off the bar. Brilliant effort. Ederson might have got the slightest of touches.

From nowhere, Real have got themselves going.

GOAL! Man City 2-0 Real Madrid | Bernardo Silva 37′

City in complete control now though!

Gundogan waltzes through in the box, his effort is saved but Silva is there to head the rebound home with Courtois off his line.

Big problems for Real.

38 mins:That was a great header from Silva.

Alaba was back on the line, but it’s just looped over him and into the back of the net. So clever.

Party time in the stands at the Etihad. Ancelotti not showing any emotion, as ever, but he has to be really concerned.

40 min:Silva having some game. Skips past Camavinga, dragged down and that’s a free-kick. Real man fortunate to avoid a booking.

Still more than 70% possession for City, incredible how dominant they’ve been. The defending champions have looked completely out of their depth.

43 mins:Visitors have to try and hang on until half-time without any further damage, and see what they can do from there.

Ancelotti you feel has to change something, because City have been on another level. Could very easily be four or five. For now, they’re happy to just knock the ball around with minimal fuss.

45 mins:Camavinga is having a truly miserable night in Manchester.

Silva skips inside onto his left foot, space is there for the shot on the edge of the box but he fires straight at Courtois.

City win it straight back, big chance as De Bruyne clips it to the unmarked Grealish but he can’t control it. Akanji’s strike is then deflected just wide.

Real Madrid a MESS.

HT: Man City 2-0 Real Madrid (agg 3-1)

Well that was extraordinary.

As good a half as you’ll ever see from City. Complete dominance, Real torn apart.

The visitors look stunned, can’t get anything going and they’re fortunate to be only two goals down. They need a miracle.

AFP via Getty Images

More than 70% possession from Man City. They’ve had 13 shots, five on target, two goals.

One single shot for Real, that strike from distance as Kroos hit the bar. Absolutely nothing apart from that.

Ancelotti best have quite the team talk ready….

2nd Half Back underway!

Up and running again at the Etihad!

48 mins:City very much straight back on the front foot. So much energy when they do lose the ball, immediately charge after Real and win it back.

No changes in terms of subs or tactics for Real, it would appear. More of the same.

50 mins:A rare Real attack, Benzema on the edge of the box has a tame effort blocked.

The visitors stay on the attack, Vinicius turns Dias and wins a free-kick. The City defender earns the first yellow card of the night too.

52 mins:Alaba to take… brilliant save! That was dipping and swerving, Ederson does really well to tip it over the bar for a corner.

Bit of encouragement for Real, and they badly need it. Guardiola has been having a go at De Bruyne for his pressing, or lack thereof. De Bruyne didn’t exactly just nod and agree in response…

54 mins: City corner is cleared away and Real are away on the break, pass fired down the line for Vinicius who looks to be in space.

Walker though is the man back. No further comment required.

56 mins:The most obvious yellow card you will ever see.

Carvajal gets too tight to Grealish, he skips past him and it’s a rugby tackle that follows. Grealish laughing as he’s dragged to the floor and the Real right-back is duly booked.

58 mins:Real having a bit of possession, but it’s all at the back and in midfield. Struggling to cause City any problems at the back.

The hosts win it back, Grealish draws a foul from Militao, who for some reason has charged up to the edge of the City box.

60 mins: Real aren’t really pressing when they lose the ball. Not sure that’s going to work when they need two goals in half an hour.

City come forward, De Bruyne’s pass nearly bobbles into Gundogan’s path but Carvajal gets back to clear the danger just about in time.

63 mins:Gundogan the latest player into the book, as he brings Vinicius down.

Ancelotti turns to his bench for the first time, Rudiger on for Modric. Alaba to left back, with Camavinga moving into midfield.

66 mins:Real leaving more and more players up the pitch now. They don’t really have a choice. Benzema is trudging around, Vinicius not much better… looking like a beaten side.

Still 25 minutes to go, but Real look miles off it still.

69 mins:There is a crazy amount of space on offer now for City. They really should be scoring another goal.

Real are falling apart, so many poor passes and they’re not working at all off the ball. This would be the most miraculous comeback you’ve ever seen if they score twice from here.

71 mins:Asensio on for Kroos, it’s an attacking change from Ancelotti.

Rodri and Gundogan have some animated words with each other in midfield, City still not confident that this job is done.

73 mins:Gundogan plays Haaland in… off the bar!

Another wonderful save from Courtois, off his thigh and onto the woodwork before the ball flicks behind for a corner.

Rodri gives away a free-kick in the middle. Courtois the only Real player who has turned up tonight.

GOAL! Man City 3-0 Real Madrid | Eder Militao OG 76’

Grealish brought down by Militao this time, he’s adamant it wasn’t a foul. Wrong. Yellow card.

And that settles it once and for all! Ball swung into the box, Akanji goes up for it in the middle and Courtois unable to keep it out! Took a huge deflection off Miltao.

79 mins:Gundogan coming off for City, Mahrez the man coming on. Will see Silva come inside.

Tchouameni, Ceballos and Vazquez all introduced for Real, with Rodrygo, Camavinga and Carvajal making way.

82 mins:Asensio and Ceballos have brought a bit more energy to the Real midfield. That wasn’t hard though.

Helped by the fact City know this match is well and truly done. Happy to sit back and settle for what they have now.

Benzema is in… Ederson saves. Ceballos from the rebound, saved again!

86 mins:Foden is on for City. Just what Real needed.

The hosts knocking the ball aroun at will, able to really enjoy these final minutes. Book those flights to Istanbul.

88 mins:Real might not touch the ball again the way this is going.

Side to side from City, under no real pressure. Not really supposed to be this easy in a Champions League semi-final.

90 mins:Three minutes added.

About three more than Real Madrid were hoping for.

GOAL! Man City 4-0 Real Madrid | Julian Alvarez 90+1′

He’s just come on!

Ball slid through to Alvarez and it’s a lovely finish. Real have been absolutely battered.

FT: Man City 4-0 Real Madrid (agg 5-1)

INCREDIBLE.

That was a remarkable performance from Man City, they have destroyed the defending champions.

The treble is ON.