Real Madrid produced a resilient performance in the second leg of the Champions League Quarter-Final to book their place in the Semis of the tournament. Although Manchester City looked dominant throughout the second leg, the Los Blancos managed to put on a defensive masterclass to take the game into penalties.
Real took the lead in the 12th minute, courtesy of a goal from Rodrygo. The former champions had an array of chances after that but failed to find the back of the next until Kevin De Bruyne’s splendid goal in the 76th minute. After 120 minutes of action in the second leg, the Quarter-Finals were set to be decided on penalties.
Although Luka Modric missed the first penalty for Real Madrid, the fifteen-time champions made all their remaining spot kicks to secure a win at the Etihad. The Spanish side will now meet Bayern Munich in the Semis to fight for a place in the Finals at Wembley.
Real Madrid could win their 15th UCL title this season
Real Madrid’s record in the UEFA Champions League is the best among all the European teams. They have won the competition fourteen times and each time they play in the competition, the Spanish side put on a show. Going into the game against Manchester City who were the defending champions, not many were betting in favour of Real. However, they showed their big-game mentality and managed to beat the English side at their own stadium.
Waiting for the Los Blancos in the Semis is a familiar European opponent. Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have played in some exciting UCL games over the years. These two sides last met in the Semis of the 2018 Champions League. It was Madrid who prevailed on that occasion as they were able to grab a 4-3 win on aggregate.
Bayern Munich have not been at their usual best this season. They were dethroned as the Champions of Germany for the first time in 11 years and have also failed to do anything significant in other domestic tournaments. Real will certainly like their chances against this Bayern side, who look a shadow of their former selves.
Who is going to be key for Real Madrid in their push for the UCL title?
Real Madrid have one of the best young cores in football. They have players like Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham and Camavinga, all these are the best young players in their respective positions. According to reports, the Los Blancos are set to add Kylian Mbappe next season which is expected to further strengthen their team.
Real have a comfortable eight-point lead in La Liga, but they have some tricky games coming up. The Spanish side will next take on their rivals Barcelona on April 20. They also have games against teams like Villarreal and Real Sociedad in La Liga which will prove to be a big challenge given that they will be facing Bayern in the Champions League semis.
However, if there is one team that can come out of this obstacle as victorious, it is Real Madrid. They have many of their star players out, but that has not stopped them from winning games. The young players have stepped up and will need to continue their brilliance if Real are to win the La Liga and UCL trophies. Rodrygo who started the season slowly has been splendid over the past few months. He scored two goals over the two legs in the Quarter-Finals against Manchester City to help Madrid reach the semis. Vinicius Jr. has had another great season where he has scored 15 goals in all competitions.
Bellingham has played like a veteran for Real Madrid and his brilliance has helped them win many games. In just his first season playing for the Los Blancos, the England international has scored 20 goals in all competitions. With the season nearing its business end, he will have to put in some bigger performances as the games are going to get tougher.
