Champions League 2023, Fixtures, Results and News

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Report By Phil McNulty, Chief football writer at Etihad Stadium
Manchester City's hold on the Champions League was wrestled away by Real Madrid as they were beaten on penalties in a dramatic quarter-final at Etihad Stadium.

The holders recovered from going behind to Rodrygo's early strike to lay siege to Real's goal, finally equalising 14 minutes from the end of normal time when Kevin de Bruyne pounced on Antonio Rudiger's clearance.

It was the least City deserved for their almost total domination but a lack of the finishing touch cost them as Real, despite being exhausted and mounting a desperate rearguard action, held out for spot-kicks.

City looked on course to meet Bayern Munich in the semi-final when Luka Modric missed Real's first penalty but Bernardo Silva's dreadful effort and another from substitute Mateo Kovacic were saved by keeper Andriy Lunin, leaving former Chelsea defender Rudiger to step up and clinch victory for the great Champions League specialists.

City will wonder for a long time how they failed to win this game despite exerting complete superiority over their Spanish opponents apart from the early stages when the La Liga leaders struck through Rodrygo.

The answer is simple - Pep Guardiola's side piled up the opportunities but could not take them, letting Real off the hook.

City had 33 shots to Real's eight, 18 corners to one but they just could not put Carlo Ancelotti's men away.

And there was always a danger that Real, who have been the great escapologists against City in this competition before, would find a way to get the job done.

So it proved, with the key moment coming when Silva chose to loft an awful penalty straight into the hands of Lunin, shifting the emphasis of the shootout back in Real's favour after Modric's first miss.

The home fans rose to their side amid their despair, the Champions League won against Inter Milan in Istanbul last season lost in the most painful of circumstances.

Focus will switch to trying to win the domestic double of the Premier League and FA Cup. This was a top-class display from City simply missing the second goal they deserved.

It was another tough night for Erling Haaland, who hit the bar with a header early on but was kept at arm's length by Real, eventually being substituted for Julian Alvarez at the start of extra time.

Guardiola must now lift and re-energise City before that Wembley meeting with Chelsea on Saturday evening.


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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "I have to say thank you to these players from deep in my heart because the way they played. But football is about winning and we didn't do enough yet we were exceptional.

"Sometimes you can win on penalties and sometimes you cannot. But in the game we did not convert the chances that we had, even though we defended really. Everyone performed at a high level. We said we would have to be at our best to play Real Madrid and they were."

More from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "I would have preferred to have won but congratulations to Real Madrid. We did everything so I have absolutely no regret about anything we have done.

"I always say as a manager, it is about scoring more and conceding less and we did everything. We played exceptional but unfortunately we could not win so it is what it is"


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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says top goalscorer Erling Haaland and playmaker Kevin de Bruyne both asked to come off before his side were knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals by Real Madrid on penalties.

Both would probably have taken spot kicks if they had still been on the pitch, with City eventually going down 4-3 in the shootout after the tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.

Defender Manuel Akanji was the third player who needed replacing as a legacy of their recent injuries.

"They asked me to go out," said Guardiola. "They could not continue."

Haaland was replaced by Julian Alvarez, who scored his penalty, at the end of 90 minutes while De Bruyne, who netted City's opening goal, came off in the first half of extra time.

The Belgian made way for Mateo Kovacic, whose effort was saved by Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

The City boss offered no criticism of Kovacic or Bernardo Silva, who asked to take a penalty but sent a poor attempt straight at Lunin.

"Bernardo is a reliable player," he said. "He wanted to take it. He decided to shoot in that way. It is what it is."

City had 67% possession at the Etihad Stadium, 33 shots to eight and nine on target to Real Madrid's three.

But it counted for nothing as City's defence of the trophy they won so thrillingly against Inter Milan last June came to an end, at the same time as their hopes of an historic double Treble.

"Johan Cruyff said luck doesn't exist, I agree with him," said Guardiola.

"Losing like this hurts. We feel bad but we did everything. We have no regrets about what we have done."

Guardiola knows this defeat will sting, even though Real are the tournament heavyweights and will now be favoured to go on and lift the trophy for a record 15th time at Wembley in June.

"We played exceptional in all departments but unfortunately we did not win," he said.

"You hope to create more and concede less because it helps you to win but we didn't convert the chances we had.

"To beat Real Madrid you have to be at your best. We were at our best but it was not enough."

Tuesday 30th April 2024 - Champions League - Semi-Finals - 1st Leg

Bayern Munich 2 (Sane 53, Kane 57 pen) Real Madrid 2 (Vinicius Junior 28, 83 pen)

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Vinicius Junior has scored five goals in his past eight matches for Real Madrid

Report By Emma Sanders, BBC Sport.
Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid came away with a draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Bayern Munich.
The Brazilian took advantage of two errors from Bayern defender Kim Min-jae - beating him for pace and slotting a shot past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the opener, before the South Korean fouled Rodrygo in the box and Vinicius put away the resulting penalty.
England captain Harry Kane had netted a penalty of his own, beating goalkeeper Andriy Lunin early in the second half after Jamal Musiala was tripped by Lucas Vazquez in the box.
Minutes before, team-mate Leroy Sane had struck a thunderous effort inside the near post, cancelling out Vinicius' opener.
Control of the game switched hands as Bayern had failed to take advantage of their early dominance before Vinicius was played in behind by a clever Toni Kroos through ball.
Having had six shots and over 60% possession in the first 20 minutes - the best of the chances falling to Sane and Kane - Bayern were behind against the run of play.
But a ruthless four-minute period in the second half turned the game around and the German giants regained their momentum.
They put Real under pressure and were perhaps unfortunate not to have extended their lead.

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Harry Kane has scored eight goals in the Champions League this season

Kane now holds the record of most goal involvements by an English player in a single Champions League season (eight goals, three assists) and had a shot deflected just wide in the second half.
Bayern created enough to add to their tally but it was Vinicius who had the final say from the penalty spot, ensuring this tie remains in the balance.

Tuesday 7th May 2024 - Champions League - Semi-Finals - 2nd Leg - Result

Paris Saint Germain 0 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Hummels 50) - (agg: 0-2)

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FULL-TIME - Paris St-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (agg 0-2) - Borussia Dortmund are into the Champions League final...

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Report By Michael Emons, BBC Sport.
Borussia Dortmund produced a fine away performance to beat Paris St-Germain and reach their first Champions League final since 2013.
Dortmund held a 1-0 advantage following the first leg of the semi-final and doubled their lead when Mats Hummels was left unmarked five yards out to head in from Julian Brandt's left-wing corner.
That goal came just after PSG's Warren Zaire-Emery wasted a glorious chance as he volleyed against the post from close range early in the second half.
PSG hit the upright twice in the opening match in Germany and, after falling 2-0 behind on aggregate, again struck the post through Nuno Mendes.
The hosts thought they had been given a penalty and a potential lifeline when Italian referee Daniele Orsato pointed to the spot, only to instantly change his mind and rule that Hummels' foul on Ousmane Dembele had been just outside the area.
PSG have never been European champions, losing in the 2020 final, and Dortmund produced an excellent defensive display to frustrate the French title winners.
Kylian Mbappe, in his last European match for PSG before joining Real Madrid in the summer, had an effort deflected on to the crossbar, before Vitinha fired against the bar too - the 6th time overall his side had hit the frame of the goal in the tie.

Thomas Tuchel says offside decision 'felt like betrayal'...

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Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel says the decision from officials to stop play before his side scored an injury-time equaliser against Real Madrid "feels like a betrayal".

The Germans led 1-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final up until the 88th minute when substitute Joselu scored twice in three minutes.

With Bayern trailing 2-1 in the 13th minute of stoppage time, Matthijs de Ligt thought he had equalised but the assistant referee's flag was already raised for offside.

Real defenders stopped before De Ligt fired into the net and television replays showed the original decision may not have been offside and would have needed to be checked by video assistant referee [VAR].

But having already stopped play, VAR was unable to intervene. Tuchel told TNT Sports afterwards "it was a very, very bad decision" and "against the rules".

"There was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels like a betrayal in the end," he added.

"The linesman says sorry but that does not help. To raise the flag in a moment like this... The referee sees we get the second ball and we get the shot.

"It's hard to swallow but that's the way it is."

Tuchel later confirmed referee Szymon Marciniak also apologised but that it "does not help" with Real in the final.

"Everyone has to go to their limit, everyone has to suffer, everyone has to play without making mistakes. So the referee has to be at that level too," said Tuchel.

"It just doesn't help to make excuses after the fact. You are on the field for this reason, because you are the best there is. And we have the right to expect that until the end."

Real will take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1st June.

European Cup/Champions League finals at Wembley - Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid - Sat 8pm

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England's national stadium will host its 8th final on Saturday.

How many of the previous seven did you manage to remember? Here's the full list:

1963 - AC Milan 2–1 Benfica

1968 - Manchester United 4–1 Benfica (AET) (above)

1971 - Ajax 2–0 Panathinaikos

1978 - Liverpool 1–0 Club Brugge

1992 - Barcelona 1–0 Sampdoria (AET)

2011 - Barcelona 3–1 Manchester United

2013 - Bayern Munich 2–1 Borussia Dortmund