Manchester City’s hopes of retaining the Champions League were dashed by Real Madrid in a thrilling quarter-final at Etihad Stadium that ended in a penalty shootout.

Despite going behind early to Rodrygo’s goal, City dominated the game and equalized through Kevin de Bruyne in the 76th minute. Their relentless attack, however, was met with a resilient defense from Real, who managed to hold on until the end of extra time.

The match was ultimately decided by penalties, with Luka Modric missing Real’s first spot-kick. However, City’s Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic failed to convert, allowing Rudiger to score the winning penalty for Real Madrid.

The defeat ended City’s hopes of securing another treble, as they now shift their focus to the Premier League and FA Cup. They face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday, needing to bounce back quickly from this disappointment.

Real Madrid vs Man City

“Luis Enrique said that even without the red card PSG would have won anyway and he hopes you will be the coach of Barca for many years, what do you say?” Xavi was asked.

The Barca boss replied in a fiery tone, “I say NO to both.”

Xavi’s disagreement with Enrique’s celebration of PSG’s victory may indicate his dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs at Barcelona, potentially hinting at a departure this summer.

Enrique’s exuberant reaction to PSG’s win, followed by comments boasting about his team’s superiority, contrasts with Xavi’s perspective and may suggest a difference in their visions for the club.

Despite PSG’s convincing win, it’s important to remember that Barcelona had a strong start in the match, leading by two goals at one point.

However, a pivotal moment came when Ronald Araujo’s decision to foul Bradley Barcola shifted the momentum in PSG’s favor, leading to their eventual victory.

PSG’s upcoming semi-final against Dortmund will be an intriguing matchup. During the group stage, Dortmund was unable to defeat PSG, indicating that the upcoming clash could be another challenging encounter for the German team.

Bukayo Saka expressed frustration at not being awarded a penalty after a clash with Manuel Neuer during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

He confronted the referee at full-time and even followed him down the tunnel, a departure from Saka’s typically composed demeanor.

When questioned about Saka’s condition before the upcoming match against Aston Villa on Sunday, Mikel Arteta stated, “Yes, he looked fine this morning.”

“He’s had 48 hours to think about it and it’s done.”

Arteta chose not to address the incident after the game, but there was a general consensus that Saka’s contact with Neuer was minimal.

Saka faced criticism for his reaction, but given the high emotions of the game, such reactions were not uncommon.