Manchester City's Champions League Defense Ends in Dramatic Penalty Shootout
Nail-Biting Match Ends in Real Madrid Victory
Quarterfinal Aggregate Score 4-4, Madrid Advances on Penalties
Manchester City's quest for a second consecutive Champions League title came to a heartbreaking end on Wednesday, April 17th, as they fell to Real Madrid 4-4 on aggregate in a thrilling penalty shootout. The first leg of the quarterfinal match had ended in a 3-3 draw, setting up a nail-biting conclusion at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
City started the match brightly, taking an early lead through Riyad Mahrez. However, Real Madrid fought back and leveled the score through Karim Benzema. The match remained deadlocked for the rest of regulation and extra time, forcing the shootout.
City were the first to miss, with Ilkay Gundogan seeing his spot-kick saved by Thibaut Courtois. Madrid then took the lead with four successful penalties. City managed to equalize, but Rodrygo's goal gave Madrid the advantage. Pep Guardiola brought on Riyad Mahrez to take the fifth penalty, but Courtois saved it once again.
Benzema stepped up to take the winning penalty for Madrid, sending City players and fans into despair. The result marked a disappointing end to City's Champions League campaign, with Real Madrid advancing to the semifinals.
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