Three factors that pioneered Real Madrid’s triumph over Man City in the Champions League | OneFootball

Real Madrid conquered the ghosts of last year and triumphed over Manchester City in the decisive quarter-final second leg last night at the Etihad Stadium.

Having secured no advantage after the 3-3 draw at Santiago Bernabeu, the Merengues stared at an uphill battle against the English giants last night.

Real Madrid were made to suffer and exhaust every last ounce of energy in their body but finally came out on top after the gargantuan struggle.

Rodrygo, who changed his life after pioneering Real Madrid’s comeback over City two years ago, once again stepped up on the night to gift his side an early lead.

After fighting over an hour of resistance from Los Blancos, the hosts got back into the game with a late equaliser. The draw saw the game progress to extra-time which was no more decisive than the 90 minutes themselves.

It was eventually in the penalty shootout that Real Madrid progressed as they edged past the men in blue by a 4-3 margin.

Madrid Universal brings you a summary of three reasons why Carlo Ancelotti’s side managed to get past the tournament co-favourites.

1. A golden defence

The clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City last night at Etihad can best be described as a tussle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object.

Pep Guardiola’s men playing at home are a force to be reckoned with, and they tested Real Madrid till the very end last night. The single biggest reason why the men in white came out on top was their formidable defensive unit.

Antonio Rudiger well and truly showed why Ancelotti erred by dropping him from the starting lineup one year ago at the same venue. Starting at the Etihad, the German was a bonafide star at the back as he held off wave after wave of Manchester attacks.

In 120 minutes, Rudiger completed four clearances and blocked a staggering five shots for Los Blancos and was helped by a well-worked performance by Nacho Fernandez.

The club captain, whom Ancelotti did not entirely trust for his deficiencies in the air, put up a leader’s display away from home with six clearances, a blocked shot, an interception, a tackle and three duels won.

A very important mention, at this juncture, must go to the goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who played out of his skin in England. He made a staggering eight saves on the night including six from inside the box. Further, he made two massive saves in the penalty shootout as well.

Manchester City were the better team on the night and played intensely attacking football. If their 33 shots resulted in just one goal, the Real Madrid defence had a critical role to play in the same.

2. Together in the face of adversity

While the first half was quite evenly fought by the two teams, the second half last night was almost one-way traffic. In the second 45 minutes, Los Blancos appeared fatigued by the heavy shift they had put in before the break, conjuring an xG of just 0.02 compared to City’s 1.12.

Real Madrid never give up. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

The hosts dominated the play in every respect as they battled hard for an equaliser to Rodrygo’s early strike. In the end, they did find their breakthrough late in the second half.

When Kevin De Bruyne hit the back of the net in the 76th minute, it appeared like the end of the road for Real Madrid. After all, the men in white were struggling to keep up with the hosts, who were bubbling with energy after their equaliser.

The 14 minutes to full-time after City’s equaliser appeared never-ending, but Real Madrid stepped up and defended in unison, as they did throughout the clash. Together in the face of adversity, City simply could not find a way through the Merengues’ lines.

The same story continued into extra-time where Manchester City had the lion’s share of possession and attacks. Collective pressure from across the field, disciplined organisation into lines and their never-ending zeal, however, kept the hosts at bay and helped Real Madrid through.

3. Masters of nerves

Real Madrid did not have the physical stamina of Manchester City, nor the dynamic substitutions or gold mine of attacking chances that the hosts enjoyed last night. What they did have, however, was mental resilience and mastery of controlling nerves.

At no point in the game did the face of any Real Madrid player show anguish or doubt as to whether they would qualify. Fatigue was indeed visible, but never the final outcome.

When Luka Modric missed his penalty and handed the result into the hands of Pep Guardiola’s side, their conviction unbelievably still did not falter.

Unfazed by the scoreline and the nerves Andriy Lunin pulled off two sensational saves to put Real Madrid back in front, while his teammates accurately converted to progress to the next round.

Los Blancos’ dominance in the competition is purely down to their unbeatable mental game. They are indeed never out until the final whistle is blown, and last night was the ultimate test of their mentality. Truly the kings of the competition.