{"id":141127,"date":"2026-03-17T22:57:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/141127\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T22:57:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:57:09","slug":"manchester-citys-champions-league-hopes-ended-by-real-madrid-once-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/141127\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester City\u2019s Champions League hopes ended by Real Madrid once again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pep Guardiola\u2019s side registered 22 shots at goal despite playing most of the second leg of their last-16 tie with 10 men as they sought to overturn a 3-0 aggregate deficit from last week\u2019s loss at the Bernabeu.<\/p>\n

Ultimately they went down to a battling 2-1 defeat on the night \u2013 meaning a crushing 5-1 reverse overall \u2013 after Vinicius Junior struck either side of an Erling Haaland equaliser.<\/p>\n

MOOOOOOOOOD pic.twitter.com\/bzASAbNr6t<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Real Madrid C.F. \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@realmadriden) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

City paid the price for the dismissal of captain Bernardo Silva for handling the Vinicius shot that led to his 22nd-minute opener from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n

Haaland gave the hosts some hope but Vinicius, after missing several other chances, had the final word.<\/p>\n

It was the fourth time in five seasons City had failed to get past the Spanish giants and, after such a spirited effort, they will rue last week\u2019s first-half display all the more.<\/p>\n

The tone for a frantic evening was set in the first minute as Federico Valverde, hat-trick hero in the first leg, got behind the City defence only to fluff an attempted lob.<\/p>\n

City were not unnerved and tore into Real with Rayan Cherki and Rodri both testing Thibaut Courtois and Tijjani Reijnders having an effort blocked.<\/p>\n

\"BernardoBernardo Silva leaves the field after being shown a red card (Martin Rickett\/PA)<\/p>\n

Cherki also had a shot deflected over but a raucous atmosphere was instantly deflated as Real applied a telling blow after another manic passage of play.<\/p>\n

Vinicius broke clear and rattled a shot against a post. It rebounded off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and was kept in play by the visitors before being worked back to the Brazilian, who lashed another fierce effort at goal.<\/p>\n

This time Silva blocked with his arm.<\/p>\n

Confusion reigned after the flag was raised but, after it was determined Vinicius had been onside, the decision to award a spot-kick and send Silva off was straightforward, although the whole process took a frustratingly long time.<\/p>\n

Vinicius missed from the spot last week but this time made no mistake to put Real 4-0 up on aggregate.<\/p>\n

\"ViniciusVinicius Junior scores Real Madrid\u2019s second goal (Martin Rickett\/PA)<\/p>\n

City battled on with Haaland having a shot cleared off the line but Vinicius spurned two glorious chances and Brahim Diaz also went close.<\/p>\n

City finally struck four minutes before the break as Haaland turned in from close range after a Jeremy Doku cross was inadvertently diverted into his path by Trent Alexander-Arnold.<\/p>\n

Real were forced to send on replacement keeper Andriy Lunin for the second half and he was soon tested by Haaland while Vinicius was wayward again at the other end.<\/p>\n

Haaland\u2019s first goal in over a month was not enough to keep him on the pitch as Guardiola sacrificed him among the changes he made to inject more urgency into the side.<\/p>\n

One of the players sent on, Antoine Semenyo, did put the ball in the net, as did Rayan Ait-Nouri, but both were ruled out for offside.<\/p>\n

Vinicius was also denied by a flag but finally struck again in stoppage time.<\/p>\n