If that is to show the final recreation manages on the Bernabeu, what a strategy to go. And if it finally ends up as ’s closing match in command of , what a fast, undignified finish. A match that unravelled like a reign that started effectively.
An eight-minute meltdown introduced Actual a second successive house defeat. First Celta Vigo triumphed on the Bernabeu, now have. A Actual workforce with a mere two victories in eight video games signify a membership with a tradition of impatience. Alonso may turn out to be its newest sufferer.
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“It’s lower than me,” he admitted. “I’m trying ahead to the subsequent recreation.” If he will get one.
However as he was overwhelmed by a mentor, Guardiola’s seventh win on the Bernabeu could have been his very unlikely, for all Actual’s issues. Metropolis exited the in Madrid final season and revived their possibilities of a top-eight end within the league part this yr; the injury carried out by defeat to Bayer Leverkusen was repaired in spectacular trend.
Guardiola didn’t get carried away or see his aspect as potential champions. “I’ve been right here many occasions within the final 5 years and we performed higher than at the moment and didn’t win,” he stated. “The truth is that within the final phases we’ve got to do higher.”
However he smiled as he stated it. “Profitable in Bernabeu is an enormous, large activity,” he stated.
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He had a comeback to savour. It gave the standing of the match-winner in Madrid; a participant who was lengthy anticipated to affix Actual as a substitute made it to the Bernabeu to sentence them to defeat.
However maybe the match revolved round Nico O’Reilly. Arguably at fault when put Actual forward, he went on to stage. “He makes errors however he tries and that’s high,” added Guardiola.
A yr in the past, O’Reilly had not even performed within the Premier League. Now he’s an England worldwide who has scored on the Bernabeu. “This aim will likely be with me eternally,” he stated. No marvel.
As a result of a Champions League Clasico is a conflict that at all times delivers. It appeared set to supply Alonso a much-needed win earlier than Actual collapsed on the finish of the primary half. That they had regarded in management after which fell aside. If it was Alonso’s final stand, Actual stumbled and tumbled to lose their footing.
Rodrygo has struggled underneath Alonso however initially appeared to save lots of his supervisor’s pores and skin together with his first aim of the season (Getty Photos)
“Till the aim we scored, they have been a lot better,” admitted Guardiola. Metropolis’s turnaround appeared to come back from nowhere and but uncovered Actual’s frailties. Their patched-up defence regarded fragile, conceding from a nook, freely giving a penalty. They appeared susceptible when Metropolis attacked them. Actually, the stand-in right-back Fede Valverde did as he was stricken by Jeremy Doku. “Jeremy was excellent,” stated Guardiola.
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Initially, although, the irrepressible wingers have been in Actual white. They have been awarded a penalty when Matheus Nunes tripped , just for VAR to find out the offence occurred exterior the realm. But Nunes in opposition to Vinicius formed up as an unfair contest.
Then Rodrygo, a type of who has suffered from Alonso’s appointment, appeared to come back to his rescue. His aim was his first of the season, or for Alonso, or in 32 video games. “Rodrygo performed an awesome recreation,” stated Alonso. The scourge of Metropolis within the 2022 semi-final mustered a fifth aim in opposition to them.
Metropolis have been outflanked, as they have been firstly. Rodrygo saved discovering area exterior O’Reilly. It value Metropolis when Jude Bellingham switched play to the Brazilian, who positioned a shot previous Gianluigi Donnarumma. Thus far, so good for Actual.
It was revenge for Manchester Metropolis within the rematch (AFP through Getty Photos)
Then, stunningly, it went incorrect. O’Reilly adopted as much as end after Thibaut Courtois parried Josko Gvardiol’s header. It was uncharacteristically poor goalkeeping by the Belgian, however the Mancunian has a fearlessness that may equip him for such phases. He had endured defensive difficulties firstly, Rodrygo repeatedly evading him. He was undeterred. He took to creating buccaneering surges ahead.
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Subsequent, it was Haaland’s flip to strike. He had been dominated by Antonio Rudiger two seasons in the past, however exacted revenge. The Norwegian received and transformed a penalty. Dragged down by Rudiger, he could have been alone in interesting, however a VAR intervention meant the offence was noticed. Haaland despatched Courtois the incorrect approach for his twenty first aim of the season.
“We have now to discover a strategy to discover him extra,” stated Guardiola, however Haaland’s first half was a masterclass in effectivity. He solely had six touches however two have been pictures on the right track. Courtois made a double save from Haaland and Rayan Cherki to disclaim Metropolis a 3rd. He later thwarted Doku, too.
Defeat solely intensified the stress on Xabi Alonso (Getty Photos)
Haaland’s Actual counterpart was lacking. It was billed as a battle of two celebrity strikers, however just one figured. “I anticipated to come back up in opposition to Kylian [Mbappe],” stated Haaland. However Mbappe was benched by an ankle downside, costing Actual the providers of a person with 25 objectives this season. When Alonso used up his three substitution home windows with out turning to the Champions League’s high scorer, it confirmed Mbappe was not match.
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So it fell to Vinicius, one other who has floundered underneath Alonso, to try to save Actual. He virtually did. He had two possibilities to equalise, directing a header and a volley simply extensive. Endrick headed in opposition to the bar. Actual mounted a frenzied pursuit of a leveller. It eluded them. “The gamers are giving to the final breath,” stated Alonso. That is probably not sufficient.
However Guardiola added to his record of wins over Actual. His identify had been whistled earlier than kick-off. There have been occasions, although, when the Bernabeu descended into silence. He had supplied supportive phrases yesterday for Alonso, the participant he signed for Bayern Munich. But when that helped his trigger, this hindered it.