Manchester City’s dreams of retaining the Champions League were shattered after a dramatic penalty shoot-out loss to Real Madrid.

Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic both missed from the spot as City were beaten 4-3 on penalties after their pulsating quarter-final tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.

Rodrygo had given Real an early lead in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium but City otherwise dominated and, after creating a host of chances, finally made it 1-1 on the night through Kevin De Bruyne in the 76th minute.

De Bruyne spurned a good chance to win the tie in normal time and Erling Haaland had earlier hit the crossbar but it was the competition’s record 14-time winners who ultimately prevailed.

UEFA’s decision to abolish the away goals rules has made knockout clashes more interesting. Take the Arsenal vs Bayern Munich and Real Madrid vs Manchester City ties for example; these games would have given the away side an advantage after the first leg scores before, but not anymore.

Bayern Munich would have wished the rules stayed intact as they now host Arsenal in the second leg of their quarter-final, with the game tied at 2-2.

Thomas Tuchel will really want his side to push on and secure the only remaining trophy this season, although they did suffer a Bundesliga heartache at the weekend.

Bayer Leverkusen lifted a historic first title in their 120-year history after they beat Werder Bremen 5-0. Bayern managed a 2-0 victory over Koln and will come into this game against Arsenal with mixed emotions, having seen Xabi Alonso’s side end their decade-long dominance.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s men hope to reset their objectives in the Champions League after a week of complex results. After playing out the draw with Bayern Munich at the Emirates, Arsenal suffered a bitter blow to their title hopes with a defeat at home to Aston Villa.

Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins’s goals sealed the three points for Unai Emery’s side. The Gunners now trail Manchester City by two points with six games to go. Arteta will want his side to provide a solid response on their travels, as Arsenal aim to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time in more than a decade.

This is a chance for Arsenal to revive their season after Sunday’s defeat, which felt like a dagger to the heart. Should they bow out of the Champions League, the psychological aspect of it could have a significant effect on their Premier League title charge. Still, as things stand, Arteta’s side have destiny in their own hands.

On the other hand, Real Madrid have never defeated Manchester City at the Etihad, and that will have to happen if they want to go through to the next round. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s team can take another step towards defending the Champions League title with a win over the record champions at home.

The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu was a goal-scoring thriller, where both teams found the back of the net on three occasions. While Manchester City had the majority of the ball, both teams created a similar amount of chances.

The Premier League champions were focused on keeping the ball and pushing up the field, while Los Blancos were looking to hit them on the break. The fans got to witness some absolute bangers in the first leg. And, with the tie level at 3-3, the second leg promises to be another edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Manchester City have the opportunity to create history and win back-to-back trebles. After playing out a draw against Real Madrid, they smashed Luton Town 5-1 and saw title challengers Arsenal and Liverpool both suffer defeats. As a result, City are now on top of the Premier League, are already in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and are battling Real Madrid for a spot in the UCL semi-finals.

Real Madrid also have a chance of creating history having never won at the Etihad. Given the kind of hammering they took at the hands of Manchester City away from home (4-0), they will not only look to create history, but the team in white will look to avenge that defeat.

Los Blancos are on top of La Liga, and they beat RCD Mallorca 1-0 at the weekend to maintain their eight-point lead at the top. It was not their best performance, and they will have to bring their best to the table to stand a chance against Manchester City.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to arrest the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, preparatory to his arraignment on Thursday.

The warrant was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite Wednesday afternoon at the instance of the EFCC.

This comes after a Kogi State High Court in a conflicting ruling restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting the ex-governor.


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