Champions League
Man City and Lyon continue – Real and Ronaldo out
Football: Champions League, Juventus Turin – Olympique Lyon, knockout round, round of 16, second leg in the Allianz Stadium
© Antonio Calanni / AP / DPA
Manchester City wins the favorite duel in the round of 16. Real Madrid are thrown out and a series is torn for coach Zinédine Zidane. Cristiano Ronaldo also has to watch the final tournament in his home country.
Manchester City and, surprisingly, Olympique Lyon are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The five-time world footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, however, has to watch the final tournament in his home country. The Portuguese won 2-1 with Juventus Turin against Lyon, but was thrown out after the 0-1 in the first leg. Man City, trained by Pep Guardiola, decided the gigantic duel against Real Madrid on Friday evening, as in the first leg 163 days ago, 2-1. Manchester and Lyon will meet at the final in Lisbon on August 15th.
An impressive streak ended for Madrid’s Zinédine Zidane in the almost deserted Etihad Stadium in Manchester. As a real coach, the Frenchman had never failed to win the Champions League with three wins (2016 to 2018) if he had the chance. Both Real conceded goals were preceded by glaring mistakes by defender Raphaël Varane. Raheem Sterling (9th) and Gabriel Jesus (68th) scored for City, Karim Benzema (28th) managed to equalize in the meantime. The game was led by the German referee Felix Brych.
In Turin, Lyons Memphis Depay (12th) scored the first goal with a penalty. Ronaldo (43./Hand penalty and 60.) turned the game. Turin pushed for the third gate, but it wasn’t enough.
Citizens remained the more dangerous team
Real started aggressively as expected in an unusually pink jersey. In addition to the central striker Benzema, Zidane offered Eden Hazard, who got fit in time, and Rodrygo. But Man City also defended extremely well and put Los Blancos under pressure. Before conceding the first goal, Varane lost the ball in the build-up to Gabriel Jesus in his own penalty area. The then alluded to Sterling had no trouble from close range. Real captain and defense chief Sergio Ramos was missing a red card and was only a guest next to his teammates on the bench.
Zidane looked tense on the sidelines. His team increased minute by minute after the setback. Benzema (21st) and Hazard (22nd) initially failed due to City goalkeeper Ederson, before Benzema made tension again with his head from almost ten meters.
After the half-time break, both teams played at eye level, but the Citizens remained the more dangerous team. Real keeper Thibaut Courtoise saved from Sterling (54th) and was initially on the spot against Gabriel Jesus (64th). But then Varane failed to return a header to his goalkeeper – Gabriel Jesus dusted off and made the preliminary decision.
Conceding a goal in March cost Juventus participation in the final tournament
Lyon had to do without the goalscorer from the first leg in Turin – Lucas Tousart had meanwhile moved to Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga. But even without the 23-year-old, the guests were initially safe against Ronaldo and Co. The German referee Zwayer pointed to the penalty spot after a foul on Lyons Houssem Aouar in the penalty area, the whistle was checked for a long time by the video assistant, but confirmed. Depay chipped the penalty cleared into the Juve goal.
Shortly before the break, Zwayer was the focus again when the referee whistled for the hosts after a free kick from Turin. Depay had also fended off the ball with his elbow while standing in the wall. European champion Ronaldo did not miss the chance and equalized. After the break, the five-time winner of the premier class scored with a strong shot from a distance to the Turin leadership. The goal they conceded on February 26th ultimately cost Juventus participation in the final tournament.
