Real Madrid have won the CL 14 times in all, and 5 times in the last 10 years. This team is very talented and has exciting skills and destructive pace. Yet last night Manchester City had 67% possession, 33 shots to 8 (9 on target to 3) and 18 corners to 1. Real did not take these statistics voluntarily. They defended with 10 and 11 in their box because they had no choice. They were forced back and as the game progressed City's domination became more and more complete. Yet we lost. On penalties. I could say that if the tie was still decided on away goals City would be through and Madrid out, but those are no longer the rules. The tie is decided by a penalty shoot out and that is why Real clung on like grim death, hoping for penalties. their last shot on goal was, I believe in the 14th minute of normal time. All this is to City's immense credit, but also to Madrid's for their resilience and refusal to lose.
I felt empty at the end because throughout, even when one down, I was convinced we would win. All those at the ground did as well and the support was magnificent - champions everyone, just like the players. It seemed at times we would get the winner but it was not to be and nothing changed in the shoot out: everyone who takes penalties knows that sometime the football gods will betray them. So it was with Bernado - had he scored I would have been first and loudest to praise his ice cool nerve and our other miss was, as usual, the goalkeeper guessing the right way.
So, we're out ... for this year. But we went out like true champions.
