Manchester City have reached the final of the Champions League for a second time after thrashing the current holders Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Bernardo Silva scored twice in the first half as City bewildered their Spanish opponents with a scintillating performance in front of their home crowd on Wednesday night.
It was a painful night for Madrid and the tie was effectively put out of sight when defender Eder Militao turned the ball into his own goal in the 76th minute.
City substitute Julian Alvarez slotted the ball into the net during injury time to give his side a 5-1 victory on aggregate.
The Spanish giants are usually to be feared in the tournament they have won more times than anyone else, but Manchester City’s 4-0 victory was every bit as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests.
The 14-time European champions simply couldn’t deal with the pace and movement of Pep Guardiola’s side.
German midfielder Toni Kroos hit the woodwork but it was a rare bright moment from a Real Madrid team who were overwhelmed and usually out of possession.
The victory marks sweet revenge for City after they lost to Madrid at the same stage in the competition last year – when the Manchester side were on their way to the final before their Spanish opponents scored three goals after 90 minutes.
“After 10 or 15 minutes I had the feeling that all the pain we had in one season, one year, what happened last season, was there today,” Guardiola said. “It was really tough to lose the way we lost and I think we had to swallow poison. Football always gives you another chance.”
The win also means Manchester City continue their seemingly unstoppable march to becoming only the second English team to lift the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup in one season.
Man City will now play Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on 10 June.
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