Real Madrid edge Manchester City to reach fourteenth European Cup Final

Saturday, May 7, 2016

On Wednesday, Spanish football club Real Madrid C.F. narrowly beat English club Manchester City 1–0 in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid.

The first leg, played on April 26 at the Manchester Stadium in Manchester, ended 0–0. This was Manchester City’s first ever appearance at the semi-final stage of the competition. Real Madrid reached the semi-final stage for the 27th time in their history, and have taken part in more semi-finals than any other side.

Manchester City held firm in the opening minutes, but City captain Vincent Kompany was substituted after going down with an injury, and Real went ahead ten minutes later when Gareth Bale’s cross deflected off City’s Brazilian midfielder Fernando, and past keeper Joe Hart in the 20^th minute for an own goal. Both teams had shots that hit the woodwork during the game. For the majority of the match, Real created the most threat going forward. Joe Hart kept City in the game during the second half as he came up with crucial saves to deny Luka Modri? and Cristiano Ronaldo. City had a chance to snatch a late equaliser through Sergio Agüero, but the Argentine’s shot flew over the goal and onto the top of the net.

In the end Los Blancos celebrated at the final whistle as they held onto their lead from the first half. Real Madrid are now through to their fourteenth European Cup final where they are to face local rivals Atlético Madrid — whom they faced in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final — on May 28, in Milan.