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Under Carlo Ancelotti's management, the team once again
demonstrated their knack for victory in European competitions, ousting the
current champions through penalty kicks.
The outcome seemed inevitable. After enduring 123 minutes of
intense competition, Real Madrid emerged as the victors against Manchester City
through a nail-biting penalty shootout, securing a 4-3 win after the match
ended in a 1-1 draw post-extra-time during the second leg of their Champions
League quarter-final showdown.
Andriy Lunin emerged as the evening's savior, stopping two
penalty shots from City, with Antonio Rudiger then striking the critical shot
that propelled Los Blancos into their fourth consecutive Champions League
semi-final.
Madrid grabbed the lead at the 13-minute mark when Rodrygo,
seizing a second opportunity, sent the ball crashing into the net following a
brilliantly executed counter-attack. City, refusing to back down, bombarded
Lunin's goal with their own set of meticulously planned offensive plays. Erling
Haaland was notably close to leveling the score with his header hitting the
woodwork.
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Despite their relentless onslaught in the latter half, Pep
Guardiola's squad finally broke through after 30 minutes of sustained effort.
Kevin De Bruyne was the man of the hour, finding the net from close range when
Jeremy Doku's cross accidentally floated his way. Not long after, the Belgian
had a golden opportunity to seal the deal but fired the ball over from the box.
During extra-time, Rudiger nearly turned the tide with a shot
that flew just over the bar from a short distance, necessitating a penalty
shootout to resolve the deadlock. Luka Modric's miss became a moot point thanks
to Lunin's critical saves against Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic, keeping
Madrid on course for their 15th European Cup.
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