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Third time lucky? There was nothing lucky about this. In their third Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, Manchester City dethroned the kings of European football, playing them off the park to book their place in the final. The final score of 4-0 was by no means flattering; if anything, it was a kind one.
The brilliant Bernardo Silva was City's executioner in the first half, smashing the ball past the excellent Thibaut Courtois after being played in by Kevin De Bruyne. He then guided the ball past Courtois with his header after the Belgian tipped an Ilkay Gundogan shot into the air.
City could have scored far more, and while Toni Kroos hit the crossbar with a hopeful effort, Madrid could offer very little down the other end. City, who were relentless from start to finish, simply wouldn't let them. Madrid improved somewhat after the break, but an own goal from Eder Militao sealed their fate.
Julian Alvarez then put the final nail in their coffin with a deft touch moments after coming on, giving an extra shiny finish to City's ticket to Istanbul.
GOAL rates Man City' players from an ecstatic Etihad Stadium...