Real Madrid opened their training campus to hundreds of visitors on Tuesday, part of the obligation of any Champions League finalist to give face-to-face time with players and staff to the international media ahead of the match.
But throughout the day, there was a distraction, a recurring theme in conversations – about a player who will not be passing through the gates of the Madrid training site any time soon.
At the weekend, Kylian Mbappe announced he had signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, a deal of enormous value to the France striker, and an abrupt change in the direction Mbappe’s career had seemed to be moving in.
Madrid thought they were on course to add Mbappe to their squad this July. There was shock when the encouraging indications they thought they had from the player and his advisors turned out to be false.
Madrid are unused to snubs like this. They are club football’s aristocrats, and chasing an unmatched 14th European Cup on Saturday, when they meet Liverpool in Paris, partly because they pursue the best attacking footballers and usually succeed in hiring them.
Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were all instrumental in winning Champions League titles for Madrid in the past two decades: Madrid paid world-record transfer fees for each of them.
Mbappe broke the mould by saying ‘No’ to joining that procession. It will be his loss, muttered some Madrid players.
“Being part of Madrid is a privilege not everybody can have,” posted Fede Valverde, the 23-year-old midfielder.
Real Madrid 3 Manchester City 1: player ratings
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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
“We have many players here making progress who have a great future at Madrid, which is the best place there is to be,” said Vinicius Junior, the winger whose position on the left of the Madrid forward line mirrors Mbappe’s preferred role.
Vinicius, 21, goes into Saturday’s key confrontation with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s dynamic right-back, knowing he can cap a breakthrough season, that even if Mbappe had joined, he would still have been accommodated in the side.
After all, ‘Vini’, as he likes to be known, has overtaken Eden Hazard, a €100m-plus signing only three summers ago, in the jostle to partner Karim Benzema up front.
He has helped make Bale, whose nine years as a Madrid employee will come to an end next month, a very distant outsider in any discussion about the starting XI.
Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid head coach, says one of the aspects that has most surprised him in his second spell at Madrid, who he rejoined last summer, is “the consistency of Vinicius.”
Ancelotti “knew the quality was there,” but composed finishing has added to the thrilling speed and close control of the Brazilian. He has 21 goals for the campaign. In his previous two full seasons in the first team, he managed a combined total of 11.
Into the space where Mbappe might have come, there is also Rodrygo, another Brazilian winger, and a 21-year-old with a knack of turning major European matches Madrid’s way.
His contribution to the series of comebacks in the knockout rounds that earned a place in the final has him talking about “magical nights.”
Real Madrid 0 Real Betis 0 - in pictures
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Real Madrid's Marcelo waves to fans at the end of the La Liga draw with Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Friday, May 20, 2022. EPA -
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema wins a header against Real Betis. AFP -
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior under pressure from Guido Rodriguez of Real Betis. AFP -
Real's Karim Benzema gives his captain's armband to Marcelo in what looks set to be the Brazilian's last game for the club. AFP -
Real's Karim Benzema shoots at goal. Getty -
Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga shoots at goal. AFP -
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema after missing a chance. Reuters -
Real Madrid's Marcelo waves to the fans. Reuters -
Vinicius Junior on the attack for Real Madrid. Getty -
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema shoots at goal. Reuters -
Real Madrid players are given a guard of honour by Real Betis before the game. Getty -
Real Madrid players give Real Betis a guard of honour before the game. Getty
The most surreal was when he came on in the home leg of the semi-final against Manchester City, and with Madrid trailing 5-3 on aggregate in the 89th minute, scored twice before the second minute of injury time. Benzema went on to net the winning goal in extra-time.
In the quarter-final, Madrid were losing on aggregate to Chelsea, when Rodrygo came on at the Bernabeu with 12 minutes left.
His sweet volley, after two minutes on the pitch, brought extra-time, and a Madrid victory.
Rodrygo had galvanised the recovery in the last-16 stage, too. Mbappe’s PSG were 2-0 up with half an hour of the tie left. Rodrygo’s lively speed was added from the bench at about that point. Madrid promptly scored three times.
Ancelotti hinted Rodrygo should expect the same ‘supersub’ role at the Stade de France, which would point to Valverde adding energy to the starting midfield.
Valverde has grown as a footballer in the past 12 months too, while Edu Camavinga, the France teenager has shown zest and responsibility coming into midfield in the later stages of high-pressure contests.
With the Mbappe transfer falling through, this cohort, approaching their first Champions League final alongside colleagues who have won four of them with Madrid – Benzema, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, as well as now marginal Bale and Isco – are ever more important.
In the absence of Mbappe, they will be flag-bearers for the club’s future.
