Manchester City, on Wednesday, May 17, thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 in their UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.
City, who secured a 5-1 aggregate win, will play Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 10.
Bernardo Silva scored twice in the first half as Pep Guardiola’s side overwhelmed the defending champions.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team tried to rally after the break but Eder Militao’s own goal and Julian Alvarez’s stoppage-time finish only reflected the gulf in class.
City are now unbeaten in 26 home matches in the competition and that run was never in danger once Portuguese midfielder Silva whipped a shot past Thibaut Courtois in the 23rd minute.
He then headed his side’s second in the 37th minute.
The second half was almost a formality as holders Real Madrid, bidding to win the trophy for a sixth time in 10 seasons, were outplayed by a relentless City side closing in on a treble.
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And there was no way back for Carlo Ancelotti’s team when Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick flicked off Militao in the 76th minute.
Alvarez put the icing on the cake of a memorable night for City with a clinical finish after coming on as a late replacement for Erling Haaland.
The fantastic form, which has seen City go 23 games unbeaten, winning their last 15 at the Etihad Stadium, was far too good for Real Madrid.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola said: “I had the feeling these last days that we had a mix of calm and tension to play these type of games.
“And after 10 or 15 minutes, I had the feeling that all the pain that we had, what happened last season… It was really tough, losing the way we lost and I think in the moment we had to swallow poison.”
Real Madrid knocked Manchester City out 12 months ago 6-5 on aggregate after an extraordinary late comeback.
“In sport, obviously you have another chance and when the draw was Madrid, I said, ‘Yeah, I want it’,” the former Barcelona manager added.
Manchester City face Chelsea on Sunday, with a win enough to clinch their third consecutive Premier League title, while Real Madrid head to relegation-threatened Valencia on Sunday in LaLiga.
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