Real Madrid will take on Liverpool in the Champions League final later this month in a repeat of the tournament’s finale in 2018.
The Spanish giants looked down and out for the majority of the second-leg against Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola’s side coming into the game with the advantage of a 4-3 home win from the first-leg. Things got even better for the visitors when Riyad Mahrez gave them a two-goal cushion in the 73rd minute.
However, the entire landscape of the tie was flipped on its head when a stoppage time brace from Brazilian forward Rodrygo sent the game into extra-time. Things went from bad to worse when Ruben Dias brought down Karim Benzema inside the area, before the Frenchman picked himself up to convert from the spot and put Real Madrid in front.
City failed to really put their hosts under pressure for the remainder of extra-time as Carlo Ancelotti’s side held on to seal their place in Paris for the final on May 28. The full-time whistle eventually went and marked yet another failure in Europe for Guardiola and his City tenure.
After the game once victory was secured, the Real Madrid players all donned special versions of their home strip personalised with the words “‘All out for” above the number 14. The shirt is in reference to the fact that Los Blancos currently have 13 Champions League titles in their trophy cabinet and now have the chance to add to that tally.
This is not the first time the European titans have done this kind of gesture, with all the players wearing shirts that also read “All out for” above the number 13 before the 2018 final in Kiev against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds. The photos sparked outrage among the Liverpool fanbase – many of whom described the stunt as disrespectful.
However, they stuck to their word and delivered on the message by toppling Liverpool 3-1 in the final four years ago. They will take on a drastically different Reds side in the French capital this month – one currently hoping the final will present the chance to cap off a historic quadruple. The Reds have already sent a message of their own in the direction of Madrid, with Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah taking to Instagram to remind fans of the previous heartache suffered at the hands of Los Blancos. (Mirror)
