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City advanced to the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons. The booked placed to finals after defeating holders Real Madrid 4-0 on aggregate at the Etihad Stadium.
Silva’s first-half double put City in command against the 14-time European champions, while an own goal by Militao after the interval and a late fourth from Alvarez sealed the deal for Guardiola’s side, avenging last year’s heartbreaking semifinal loss.
With Inter in the final, City will be overwhelming favorites to finally deliver the trophy that Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour has wanted since buying the club in 2008, after losing to Chelsea in the final two years ago.
City is presently undefeated in 26 competitive home games. Silva blasted a shot past Courtois in the 23rd minute and a heading score in the 37th.
The second half was almost an elegance, as champions Madrid lost by City squad pursuing a treble.
Ancelotti’s squad had little chance after De Bruyne’s free kick was deflected off Militao in the 76th minute.
The lineups were nearly identical to the scorching 1-1 draw at Santiago’s Bernabeu Stadium last week, with the sole exception being Militao replacing Rudiger in Real’s backline.
City, like Madrid, grabbed an early stranglehold, with Real hardly connecting two passes together and finding it nearly difficult to exit their own half.
In the opening 20 minutes, Courtois twice made amazing saves on Haaland headers at dead-on.
City humilated Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals Second Leg
The pressure on City was constant, and the breakthrough came not long after, with Silva blasting a left-footed drive past Courtois from the right edge of the penalty area — City’s eighth goal attempt in the first 23 minutes.
Real took half an hour to start an onslaught, but Walker won a sprint fight with Vinicius to stop the threat.
Toni Kroos, one of five current Real Madrid players to have won the trophy five times, then fired a dipping right-foot effort that City keeper Ederson, who had been watching, brushed against the crossbar.
A one-goal lead against Real Madrid’s serial victors was always perilous. But Silva ensured City went into halftime with one foot in the final. He ran fast to loop a header into the net after Gundogan’s effort got lay aside.
City play with the 14-time champions for the rest of the half and ought to have been farther up.
Real needed some magic to give them hope. It almost came six minutes after halftime when Ederson acrobatically stopped Alaba’s diving free kick.
Courtois made another save from Haaland to keep Ancelotti’s side in the tie.
De Bruyne’s whipped free kick glanced off Militao and into the net. As as result, the expectations of a repetition of Real Madrid’s miraculous comeback last year were shattered.
In stoppage time, Alvarez struck first-time into the bottom corner.
“It’s a beautiful night for us,” Silva said, according to BT Sport.
“[The fans] gave us the confidence to go after Madrid.” We were tough, dedicated, and well-organized.”
City can win a sixth Premier League title in six seasons. They are plating FA Cup final this weekend against Manchester UTD. Along with these, they are also going to clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul for the European Title.
