How Manchester City reached the Champions League final
We now know the finalists of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League following the conclusion of the semi-finals.
Inter beat city rivals AC Milan in an Italian derby to reach this season’s showcase, while Manchester City got the better of Real Madrid with an emphatic display at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to bok their place in the final, which will take place on 10 June.
It’s been a long and testing season for the Citizens, who could yet complete the treble. Here’s the stunning journey they’ve embarked on in Europe so far.
|
Stage of competition |
Result |
|---|---|
|
Group stage Matchday 1 |
Sevilla 0-4 Man City |
|
Group stage Matchday 2 |
Man City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund |
|
Group stage Matchday 3 |
Man City 5-0 Copenhagen |
|
Group stage Matchday 4 |
Copenhagen 0-0 Man City |
|
Group stage Matchday 5 |
Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Man City |
|
Group stage Matchday 6 |
Man City 3-1 Sevilla |
|
Round of 16 |
RB Leipzig 1-8 Man City (agg) |
|
Quarter-finals |
Man City 4-1 Bayern Munich (agg) |
|
Semi-finals |
Real Madrid 1-5 Man City (agg) |
Manchester City progressed into their second Champions League final on three years after beating Real Madrid at the Etihad on Wednesday night. Pep Guardiola will now go in search of his first European crown since he lifted the trophy with Barcelona in 2011.
City, once again, made light work of the group stage as they enjoyed an unbeaten run to qualify into the knockout phase as group winners. Borussia Dortmund provided stiff competition in their two meetings, but the Citizens brushed aside Sevilla and Copenhagen in three of their four meetings against these two sides.
An away draw in the first leg of the last 16 tie with RB Leipzig game the return game a nervy atmosphere at the Etihad, though that was quickly quashed by a huge 7-0 thrashing with included five goals from Erling Haaland.
The job in the quarter finals was done in Manchester, too, as Bundesliga holders Bayern Munich were sent packing with a 3-0 defeat courtesy of goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Haaland.
But City perhaps saved their best for the semis. A 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu provided a solid platform for the second leg at home, putting in what many fans on Twitter and elsewhere agreed might be the club’s best ever performance over 90 minutes.
Real were made to look completely ordinary, with goals from Bernardo Silva (2), Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez sending City to the final. It would have been even more emphatic but for multiple outstanding Thibaut Courtois saves to deny Haaland.
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Following Wednesday night’s victory, Manchester City will take on Inter in the Champions League final on 10 June. Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium will play host to the final.