Comeback kings Real Madrid never know when they are beat

Spanish champions will face Liverpool in May 28 final after thrilling Champions League semi-final win over Manchester City

Real Madrid celebrate winning a place in the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 28 after beating Manchester City 3-1 in the 2nd leg of their semi-final for a 6-5 aggregate triumph. Getty

Real Madrid's players celebrate their victory. EPA

Karim Benzema and Real players celebrate. Getty

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti celebrates at the end of the match. AFP

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois, Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric and teammates celebrate reaching the Champions League final. Reuters

Real Madrid players celebrate at the end of the match. AP

Real Madrid players celebrate. AP

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola consoles Oleksandr Zinchenko. PA

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring the third goal in the 3-1 extra-time win against Manchester City for a 6-5 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League final against Liverpool. Getty

Benzema is fouled by Ruben Dias leading to the decisive penalty. Getty

Karim Benzema scores the winning spot kick. Getty

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez celebrates after scoring to put City ahead at Santiago Bernabeu. Getty

Mahrez strikes for City in the second half. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior battles for the ball with Manchester City's Kyle Walker. AP

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola shakes hands with Real's Carlo Ancelotti. AP

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson dives for the ball. AFP

Real's Luka Modric is challenged by Riyad Mahrez. AFP

Riyad Mahrez celebrates after scoring against Real. Getty

Rodrygo celebrates after scoring Real's first goal. Getty

Rodrygo after levelling at 1-1 on the night. Getty

Rodrygo after scoring Real's second and levelling the aggregate score at 5-5. Getty

Rodrygo's second goal took the semi-final into extra time. Getty

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after his side's second goal. Getty

Karim Benzema celebrates scoring Real's third goal from the penalty spot and securing a place in the Champions League final. AFP

Benzema after scoring the winner. Getty

In his last team talk instructing his Real Madrid players to aim for – and believe in – the improbable on Wednesday night, Carlo Ancelotti paused his short speech and asked them all to look at a big screen. On it was a video of key moments from the matches in which Madrid have come from behind to win this season. They had done it eight times before the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Manchester City.

Ancelotti then took his place on the touchline at the Bernabeu. He waited a long time to see any evidence that reminding his experienced, worldly, warrior squad that they are never really beaten had had any effect.

For most of the first 72 minutes in which Madrid needed to score to make up a 4-3 first-leg deficit, there was little hint of the driving energy that had, among other comebacks, erased Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 aggregate lead in the last-16 stage. There was barely a sign of Luka Modric and Karim Benzema combining an indomitable spirit with their technical excellence, as they had after Chelsea took control of the quarter-final, and the Madrid veterans regained it.

As for the last 18 minutes of the normal 90, the period after Riyad Mahrez had extended the aggregate scoreline to 5-3 in City’s favour, for 17 of those minutes Madrid looked more fearful of a thrashing than confident of a miracle. But for Ferland Mendy’s reflex clearance off the goal-line City would have led 6-3 overall.

But the events that then crammed into a surreal 89 seconds, from just before the clock ticked into stoppage time to shortly before stoppage time was completed, would tell a story far more dramatic than anything in Ancelotti’s motivational video.

Against PSG, Madrid had been outplayed for most of the first 150 minutes of the tie. They scored three times in the last half-hour to eliminate the team of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Against Chelsea, the then European Cup holders, 21-year Brazilian winger Rodrygo came off the bench to volley in the goal that would take the quarter-final into extra time, where Madrid made momentum and a roaring home crowd work in their favour.

Real Madrid 3 Manchester 1: player ratings

REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 8: Good save from Silva strike in 20th minute and an even better one from dipping Foden shot later in half. Beaten at near post by thunderous Mahrez finish. Great stops from Grealish shot and Foden header. AFP

Dani Carvajal - 7: Perfect ball across box to set-up glorious chance for Vinicius Junior just after half-time. Booked in second half for foul on De Bruyne. Sent over another excellent cross for Rodrygo’s second. AFP

Eder Militao - 7: Gifted possession to City that resulted in Silva almost opening scoring. Well-timed challenge when Foden threatened to get through on goal after break. Booked for chopping down Grealish. Getty

Nacho - 8: Starting with David Alaba considered only fit enough for the bench and gave an assured performance at the back. Immense after Real took lead. AFP

Ferland Mendy - 8: Good job defensively in keeping Mahrez very quiet until 73rd minute of match when Algerian found space to fire home. Incredible clearance on line to stop Grealish making it 2-0. AFP

Luka Modric - 7: Booked in opening 10 minutes for petty shoving match with Laporte. Clearly benefits from having Casemiro in team, pulled strings for Real while keeping close watch on Rodri in centre of park. AP

Casemiro - 8: Welcome return to side after injury and made plenty of trademark interceptions - but should have been booked in first half either for poor scissors tackle on De Bruyne or hauling down Foden by his shirt. EPA

Toni Kroos - 6: Had dangerous free-kick deflected just wide by City wall in 26th minute but German couldn’t influence from midfield like he has shown so often in past and made way midway through second half. Getty

Federico Valverde - 7: Teed-up early chance missed by Benzema, tireless effort up and down pitch and some good defensive challenges. Booked for late tackle on Fernadinho. Getty

Karim Benzema – 8: Scooped first-time shot way over bar early on but kept well under control by City until a minute from time when his volleyed pass was finished by Rodrygo. Side-footed shot straight at keeper early on extra-time, before being fouled in box and scoring penalty himself later to win the tie minutes later. Reuters

Vinicius Junior - 6: Intriguing battle with Walker who matched him for pace and quality. Missed good chance when he sent left-footed strike sailing over bar after finding space in box. Lucky that flag went up just after break when he sent shot from close range wide of goal. Reuters

SUBS: Rodrygo – (On for Kroos 68’) 9: Scored with Real’s first shot on target in 90th minute, headed home their second two minutes later and then saw Ederson save to deny him quick-fire treble. AP

Marco Asensio – (On for Casemiro 75’) 7: Thrown on with Real desperately chasing game and provided vital flick for Rodrygo's second. Getty

Eduardo Camavinga – (On for Modric 75’) 7: A nuisance to City from moment he came on. AP

Jesus Vallejo – (On for Militao 115’): N/A. Lucas Vazquez – (On for Vinicius Junior 115’): N/A. Reuters

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 7: Amazingly quiet match when Real failed to register a shot on target until 90th minute - then Rodrygo scored his remarkable double turning game on head that Ederson could do little about. AP

Kyle Walker - 9: Welcome return at right-back after three weeks and contained the threat of Vinicius Junior superbly, despite appearing to be injured from before half-time. Looked set to come off in second but bravely battled on – only to limp off in agony after collision with Brazilian winger. Getty

Ruben Dias - 7: Suspended for first leg and back with the thankless task of containing Benzema – and barely given him kick for most of game only for Frenchman to provide assist for Rodrygo’s first goal. Then brought down the same player for extra-time penalty that Benzema finished himself. Getty

Aymeric Laporte - 7: Early booking for shoving Modric – but should have got yellow card for dramatic fall to ground in said incident. Controlled show at back … until Real’s late show. AFP

Joao Cancelo - 8: Switched flanks when Walker went off and was safe as houses defensively on both flanks. Saw sweet strike saved by Courtois in last five minutes of normal time. EPA

Kevin de Bruyne - 7: Drilled shot from outside area straight at keeper and produced lovely ball to put Silva in on goal in opening 45 minutes. But Belgian midfielder nothing like as impressive or as influential as the first leg and was hooked in second half. EPA

Kevin de Bruyne - 7: Drilled shot from outside area straight at keeper and produced lovely ball to put Silva in on goal in opening 45 minutes. But Belgian was nothing like as impressive as the first leg and was hooked in second half. EPA

Bernardo Silva - 8: Had been dropping deep to gain possession when suddenly put through on goal by De Bruyne but Courtois saved his powerful shot. Vital tracking back to nick ball of toes of Vinicius Junior and provided assist for Mahrez goal. AFP

Phil Foden - 8: Lovely control on his chest followed by volley from edge of area forced Courtois into excellent save late in first half. Had header saved by Belgian keeper at end of first period of extra-time. AFP

Riyad Mahrez - 7: Little impact going forward in first half and one poor ball with counter-attack annoyed teammate De Bruyne. Did provide Walker with support dealing with Vinicius Junor and then smashed City into the lead with a powerful first-time finish. Reuters

Gabriel Jesus - 7: In-form attacker whipped a curling shot just wide with Courtois beaten in first half, drilled shot straight from tight angle straight at keeper at start of second. Getty

Oleksandr Zinchenko – (On for Walker 72’) 7: Settled straght in at back. Booked in extra-time for foul on Rodrygo.

SUBS: Ilkay Gundogan – (On for De Bruyne 72’) 7: Straight on to play role in Mahrez’s goal. AP

Jack Grealish – (On for Jesus 78’) 7: Had two chances in two minutes late on – one blocked on line by Mendy, the other tipped round post by boot of Courtois - that would have put City through. PA

Raheem Sterling – (On for Rodri 99’) 6: Very harsh booking for sliding challenge on Rodrygo. Should have got one cross over early but went for one trick too many. Getty

Fernandinho – (On for Mahrez 85’) 6: Should have finished rebound after Courtois saved Foden’s header in extra-time. Getty

Against City, the drama was more concentrated, the young substitute doubly heroic. Rodrygo burnished an already glowing reputation as a lucky charm in European matches by scoring not once but twice when Madrid’s lifeline in the competition hung by a single thread.

He converted a Benzema cross in the 89th minute to equalise Mahrez’s goal. He then soared, all 1.74m of him, above City’s tall markers to head in his second and set the aggregate scoreline, after a 180 minutes largely controlled by City, at 5-5.

“When we made it 1-1, I saw them [City] sink a bit,” observed Thibaut Courtois, the Madrid goalkeeper who, with a series of saves, had maintained the possibility of a comeback. “I’m not saying they froze, but they knew anything could happen from that point.”

Five minutes into extra time, a foul on Benzema by Ruben Dias gave Madrid a penalty, converted by Benzema. A tie in which City had held the lead from the second minute at the Etihad until the 90th minute at the Bernabeu had finally swung Madrid’s way.

“We were brilliant across the whole tie,” Pep Guardiola, the City manager, told Spanish television, “and we came very close. But unfortunately we haven’t achieved our objectives.”

Villarreal 2 Liverpool 3: player ratings

VILLARREAL RATINGS: Geronimo Rulli – 1. The Argentine never looked secure. He let Fabinho’s shot go through his legs for Liverpool's first goal and should have done better for the second. His ridiculous charge out of his area for the third underlined a dreadful performance. AP

Juan Foyth – 4. Started badly with a poor back pass but stabilised his play for the first 45 minutes. Things went downhill when Diaz came on after the break. Getty

Raul Albiol – 5. The 36-year-old showed surprising pace to catch Jota in the first half. His use of space was impressive but he could not deal with Liverpool’s movement after the break and made way for Aurier with 11 minutes to go. PA

Pau Torres – 5. The Spaniard was efficient to a point but found himself overwhelmed in the latter stages. He did not get enough support from the midfield. Getty

Pervis Estupinan – 3. The Ecuadorian sent in a superb cross for the opening goal but found life uncomfortable as Salah and Alexander-Arnold got on top. The first two Liverpool goals came down his side. PA

Giovani Lo Celso – 4. The Argentina international was effective when his team were in the ascendency but shrunk when their dominance faded. Bright start, disappointing overall. EPA

Dani Parejo – 3. The Spaniard was the least impressive member of the midfield in the first half and was even less influential afterwards. By the end he was being bypassed with ease. AP

Etienne Capoue – 4. The Frenchman got behind Robertson at the back post to set up the opening goal and turned the Scot easily for the second. He could not keep up the good form and was sent off for two yellow cards with five minutes to go. EPA

Francis Coquelin – 5. The French midfielder had a good first half. He levelled the scores on aggregate with a header but reverted to his first-leg form after the break and made way for Pedraza with 22 minutes to go. PA

Gerard Moreno – 3. The Spain striker was struggling with a thigh injury and it showed. His tendency to wander offside spoilt a number of attacks. He was replaced by Chukwueze in the 68th minute. AP

Boulaye Dia – 5. The 25-year-old set the tie alight with his third-minute goal and he caused the defence some problems early on. It did not last and he became less effective as the game went on. He was withdrawn for Alcacer with 10 minutes left. AP

SUBS: Alfonso Pedraza – 5. The winger came on for Coquelin in the 68th minute. The game was closing down and he was never in a position to open it up. Getty

Samuel Chukwueze – 5. The Nigerian joined the action at Moreno’s expense in the 68th minute. He barely troubled Liverpool. AFP

Serge Aurier – 5. The Ivorian entered the game with 11 minutes to go for Albiol. He joined a defence that was dispirited and he could not arrest the chaos. AFP

Manu Trigueros – 5. The 30-year-old replaced Estupinan with 11 minutes to go. He tried to get some forward momentum going but his passing was poor. AP Photo

Paco Alcacer – 5. The 28-year-old replaced Dia for the last 10 minutes. His was a thankless cameo with little memorable about it. AFP

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker – 7. The Brazilian was let down by his defence for the goals but, when he was needed, he stepped up. His one-on-one save from Lo Celso was brilliant. Getty

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6. The 23-year-old should have done more to stop Coquelin equalizing, and he had a rough first half. However, the value of his risk-reward approach was shown with his cross for the goal that made it 2-2. Getty

Ibrahima Konate – 7. The Frenchman often starts slowly but grows into the game. This was never truer than in El Madrigal and he finished the match like a boss. Reuters

Virgil van Dijk – 8. Chaos at the back? Two down? Then the Dutchman is the player to turn to. He was a calming influence when things were going wrong and a secure presence for the team. EPA

Andrew Robertson – 6. The Scot was beaten at the back post by Capoue for Villarreal’s opening goal and flummoxed by the Frenchman for the second. It was not good but no player worked harder to recover from that nightmare first half. AFP

Naby Keita – 6. The Guinean did not close down Estupinan quickly enough for the opening goal. He was so poor in the first half that it was surprising that he was not withdrawn. Instead, he made his mark after the break until substituted in the 79th minute for Henderson. AFP

Fabinho – 7. The Brazilian was swamped in the opening period. Then, when the ball came to him in a crucial position, he shot with conviction and brought Liverpool back into the game. By the time Milner replaced him with six minutes left, he was running the midfield. PA

Thiago Alcantara – 6. The 31-year-old sprayed the ball around in the first half – and not in a good way. He wasted possession repeatedly. Normal service was resumed after the break and he was replaced by Jones with 10 minutes to go. EPA

Diogo Jota – 4. The Portuguese had one effort in the first half but was unable to make much impact on the game. He made way for Diaz at half time. Getty

Mohamed Salah – 6. The striker was given extra attention by the defence but still caused problems. Diaz would not have had so much room had Villarreal not been keeping one eye on the Egyptian. Getty

Sadio Mane – 7. The Senegalese took a rugged approach that, initially, seemed not to work. His relentless effort wore the defence down and his reward was Liverpool’s third goal. AFP

SUBS: Luis Diaz – 9. The Colombian replaced Jota at half-time and changed the game. His goal was the least part of an epic performance that undermined Villarreal. Getty

Jordan Henderson – 6. The 30-year-old came off the bench for Keita in the 79th minute. His experience was useful but the game was over by the time he arrived. AP Photo

Curtis Jones – 6. The 21-year-old joined the action in place of Thiago with 10 minutes left. He forced a good save from the goalkeeper. Getty Images

Kostas Tsimikas – 6. The Greek was given 10 minutes for Robertson. He did what was necessary in his short cameo. AP Photo

James Milner – 6. The 36-year-old is the perfect man to lock down a result. He came on for Fabinho and did exactly what was expected. AFP

City were close last year, too, to having the club’s name etched for the first time on club football’s most coveted trophy. But six years into Guardiola’s time in charge, that silver medal, having lost 1-0 to Chelsea, remains the best Champions League finish yet for the club, who may again have to watch a team they have bettered in the English season go on to become European champions.

City beat Liverpool to the 2019 Premier League title: Liverpool won that season’s Champions League. City finished well above Chelsea in the domestic table last May. City lead Liverpool in the gripping 2021/22 Premier League title race.

But Liverpool will now face Madrid in Paris later this month in what will be a compelling final, and a classic: two clubs with long, successful histories in the competition, and two previous final meetings – in 1981, in Paris, Liverpool won; in 2018, in Kiev, Madrid triumphed – in the back catalogue.

Liverpool will likely start as favourites. But they will know that a big lead needs to be established against this Madrid team, the kings of the cliff-edge comeback, before victory can be assumed.