Real to face Liverpool as comeback stuns Man City

Manchester City suffered one of the most remarkable Champions League collapses as Real Madrid came back from the abyss to set up a final showdown with Liverpool.

City were two goals ahead on aggregate going into the 90th minute after Riyad Mahrez’s strike had added to their 4-3 first-leg win last week.

And then Rodrygo happened.

The Brazilian substitute turned home Karim Benzema’s left-wing ball from close range in the final minute – with Real’s very first shot on target.

43 goals in 43 games
Won La Liga
Scored the goal to put Real Madrid into the Champions League final @Benzema is playing like a man who wants it pic.twitter.com/WVSrAzQeFw

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 4, 2022

And 90 seconds later he levelled the tie with a header into the top corner after Marco Asensio flicked on Dani Carvajal’s cross.

That sent an already rowdy Bernabeu into absolute euphoria.

City, who thought they were going through to a second consecutive all-English Champions League final, were shell-shocked.

Benzema beat Ruben Dias to a loose ball in the box and was brought down by the City defender. He stepped up to take the penalty himself and scored his 43rd goal of the season.

The Champions League has delivered so many classic knockout ties in recent years, including the first leg of this one – a match City should have won by more.

City have five Premier League titles – and are four wins away from a sixth – since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008.

But the Champions League – the trophy that really establishes your place as an icon of world football – has always eluded them.

Real are the ultimate European Cup team, having won the competition 13 times – six times more than anybody else.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side wrapped up the La Liga title last weekend and can now focus all their attention on that game with Liverpool.

Their last final meeting, in 2018 in Kyiv, saw Gareth Bale score twice and Loris Karius’ howler gift Benzema a goal in a classic.

Rodrygo is the third substitute to score multiple goals for Real Madrid in a Champions League match. Bale that day was one of the other two.

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