Chapter 611: Third Clash – Real Madrid and Manchester City Meet Again in the Champions League Final
"Isn't this a bit too much?"
"Yeah, maybe a little."
As they left the field, seeing the defeated and despondent Roma players, the Manchester City players couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. The loss was devastating, and Kolarov, once a Roma player himself, couldn't bring himself to stick around and reminisce. He quickly joined his team as they departed Manchester, a place the Roma players probably wouldn't want to return to anytime soon.
In contrast to Manchester City's overwhelming victory over Roma, the match on another field was much more intense. At the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid lined up in identical formations—both teams opted for a 4-1-4-1 setup.
With such powerful attacking forces on both sides, many expected this to be a high-scoring affair. But the reality left many surprised. The match ended with just three goals, a final score of 1-2, with the home team (Bayern) on the losing end.
Despite Bayern taking the lead and attacking relentlessly, Real Madrid delivered a masterclass in counter-attacking football, turning the game around to secure an away victory. Bayern dominated possession with 60%, doubled Real Madrid's shot count, and had three times as many corner kicks. In all the key offensive stats, such as dangerous attacks and free kicks, Bayern led by a wide margin.
But no matter how fierce Bayern's attack was, Real Madrid stood firm like an unmovable rock amidst the storm. They absorbed the pressure and took advantage of Bayern's mistakes, using two quick counterattacks to seal the win.
This match showed the world the incredible strength of the reigning champions. Many had wondered how they managed to snatch the Champions League title from Manchester City, but after watching this game, there were no more questions. This Real Madrid team was strong—more than capable of defending their title.
Bayern, not only losing at home but also seeing their star player Robben injured, were now in a precarious position. The schedule was already unfavorable for them, having played the first leg at home, and now they had lost their best chance to secure a win. Many believed their chances of reaching the final were less than 30%, as it seemed nearly impossible to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.
Given the outcome of the other semifinal, it appeared that, barring any surprises, this year's Champions League final would once again feature Manchester City and Real Madrid. This would mark the third consecutive year the two teams faced each other in the final, solidifying their status as the strongest clubs in world football.
…
After the first legs of the Champions League semifinals concluded, fans quickly shifted their attention back to domestic league action. With the season nearing its end, the battle for Champions League spots for the next season was becoming increasingly intense.
Tottenham had recently suffered a loss and a draw, allowing Liverpool to catch up. Spurs had slipped to fourth place, and their fans were growing nervous. Dropping one more spot would mean falling out of the Champions League qualification zone. Moreover, the Premier League's fourth-place team has to go through a qualification playoff to enter the Champions League, and the strength of their opponents in the playoff is down to luck.
If they draw a strong opponent, they could be knocked out early—just as two French teams were eliminated in last season's Champions League playoff. To secure direct qualification, finishing in the top three was a must.
As for Chelsea, they had given up hope of finishing in the top three. They were simply focused on catching anyone ahead of them and claiming fourth place. But to their disappointment, Spurs didn't slip again this round.
Playing at home, Tottenham secured a 2-0 win against mid-table Watford, a team with nothing left to fight for. Late in the season, the hardest teams to play against are those battling relegation—they'll throw everything they have at you to win. Even if you beat them, you'll likely be left battered, and heaven forbid one of your key players gets injured.
In contrast, mid-table teams like Watford, who are safe from relegation but too far off to qualify for European competition, are easier to handle. By season's end, many of their players have their minds elsewhere—whether it's moving to a better team in the transfer window or planning their summer vacations.
While Chelsea fought tooth and nail in a tough away match to narrowly beat relegation-threatened Swansea, Tottenham had a relatively easy win. With the victory, Spurs extended their lead over Chelsea to seven points. With only two games left in the season, it was now mathematically impossible for Chelsea to catch Tottenham.
However, there was some good news for Chelsea: while Spurs avoided a slip-up, Liverpool did not. Despite their powerful attack and home advantage, Liverpool surprisingly failed to score. Playing against Stoke City, the second-to-last team in the standings, Liverpool's full-strength squad managed 20 shots but couldn't find the back of the net. Star players like Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were completely shut down.
Stoke City, though able to keep a clean sheet, couldn't muster a counterattack, and the game ended in a goalless draw. This result left Stoke's chances of survival hanging by a thread, but more importantly for Liverpool, it allowed Spurs to leapfrog them into third place. Liverpool dropped to fourth and were now just five points ahead of Chelsea with two games remaining, leaving the door open for a possible Chelsea comeback.
As for Manchester City, even with a mix of starters and reserves, they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 away win. Leroy Sané, Erling Haaland, and Gabriel Jesus scored the goals.
Notably, Pep Guardiola paired Haaland and Jesus as a striking duo, and the experiment worked surprisingly well. With their key players fully rested, Manchester City were ready to go all out in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal against Roma.
Despite being away from home, City maintained the same dominant style from the first leg, attacking aggressively as if they were still at the Etihad. In the ninth minute of the first half, Lin Quan opened the scoring for City, and in the 25th minute, David Silva doubled the lead.
Once again, the match followed a familiar script, with City controlling the game. However, Roma, playing at home, were determined not to repeat the humiliation of the previous leg. After being stunned by City's early goals, they quickly regrouped and fought back valiantly.
In the 55th minute of the second half, Edin Džeko finally got Roma on the scoreboard, sparing them from the embarrassment of another scoreless defeat. His goal fired up the Roma team, and spurred on by the chants of tens of thousands of fans, they launched wave after wave of attacks, even pinning City back into their own half for stretches.
In the 77th minute, former City player Aleksandar Kolarov sent in a cross from the left, setting up Radja Nainggolan for Roma's second goal. With the score tied at 2-2, Roma saw a glimmer of hope for victory.
But that hope was short-lived. Just after Nainggolan's goal, Manchester City responded quickly. Lin Quan scored from a direct free kick, putting City back in the lead. With little time left on the clock, Roma desperately pushed forward, but it was too late. City held on for a 3-2 win, completing a dominant 11-2 aggregate victory over Roma.
This marked City's fifth consecutive appearance in the Champions League final, setting a new club record. Though Roma had lost, they could hold their heads high—they had put up a fierce fight at home and nearly upset one of Europe's top teams. Their resilience was impressive, like a pack of wolves refusing to give in.
While the City-Roma clash was intense, it was nothing compared to the drama at the Bernabéu. Just when many had written Bayern Munich off, they put on a heroic performance away at Real Madrid.
Much like the first leg, Madrid played a defensive, counter-attacking game, while Bayern, needing goals, threw caution to the wind and attacked with everything they had. Bayern had even more shots than in the first leg, but this time their finishing was far more effective.
James Rodríguez, nearly cast aside after being benched by Madrid, delivered a performance reminiscent of his peak during the 2014 World Cup. In just the third minute of the match, he orchestrated a move that led to Bayern's first goal, giving them an early lead.
This early goal put Real Madrid in serious danger of losing the game. However, Madrid soon regained their composure, and in the 11th minute, Marcelo set up Karim Benzema for an equalizer. The first half ended 1-1, a result that still favored Madrid overall.
But when the second half began, Madrid switched gears, adopting a more aggressive approach that caught Bayern off guard. Just one minute into the half, they capitalized on a goalkeeping error, with Benzema scoring again to make it 2-1.
With the aggregate score now 4-2 in Madrid's favor, and with the advantage of away goals, Madrid seemed to have one foot in the final.
But Bayern weren't ready to give up. In the 66th minute, James scored again, pouncing on a rebound to bring the score level at 2-2.
With this goal, Bayern had leveled the away goals tally with Madrid, leaving them just one goal shy of advancing to the final on away goals.
Despite trailing on aggregate, it was now Madrid who found themselves teetering on the edge of elimination. James's goal electrified Bayern, and they began to pour forward with even greater intensity. Madrid, desperate to stop Bayern's attack, resorted to tactical fouls, with players like Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos, Lucas Vázquez, and Raphaël Varane picking up yellow cards in quick succession.
The tension was palpable. Madrid's defense was stretched thin, and the team was like a tightly wound string, ready to snap at any moment. Bernabéu was on edge, with Madrid's fans barely able to breathe as they watched their team cling to a fragile lead.
In response to Bayern's relentless pressure, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane made a decisive move, substituting Benzema and Mateo Kovačić for Gareth Bale and Casemiro. Casemiro's presence immediately strengthened Madrid's midfield defense.
With Modrić, Casemiro, and Kroos working together seamlessly, they successfully stifled Bayern's attacks. Despite Bayern's best efforts and using every trick in the book, they just couldn't break through Madrid's defense again.
Bayern were just one goal away from the final, but that single goal proved elusive. In the end, after an exhausting and hard-fought battle, Madrid held firm, advancing to the final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
This marked Real Madrid's third consecutive appearance in the Champions League final, and they were now in pursuit of their 11th European Cup title.
Following the semifinal results, the media quickly reported on the two matches. The headline on the front page of Marca, Real Madrid's close ally, read: "Third Clash – Real Madrid and Manchester City Meet Again in the Champions League Final!"
"So, it's Real Madrid after all!" Pep Guardiola sighed upon hearing that Madrid had defeated Bayern. He wasn't surprised by the outcome. After all, in terms of sheer strength, Real Madrid had the edge, especially playing at home.
"Facing Madrid might be a good thing, actually. We've faced them for three years in a row now, so we know them pretty well and understand how to deal with them," said Mikel Arteta, not particularly concerned about the opponent.
In fact, facing Bayern in the final could have been more challenging, as Bayern's style of play was something of a counter to City's.
"True, but we can't depend on who our opponent is. As long as we're strong enough, we can handle anyone!" Guardiola remarked. Having led his teams to so many Champions League finals, he was a seasoned veteran of these big matches. Moreover, he was confident in the strength of his Manchester City squad. In his eyes, this City team was as strong as his peak Barcelona team.
This year's Champions League final would take place in Kyiv, Ukraine, in about 25 days. Manchester City had plenty of time to prepare thoroughly. However, before that, they still had to finish their final two league games.
Those two games were against weaker opponents, giving City a perfect opportunity to fine-tune their lineup and tactics in preparation for the final.
(End of the chapter)