UCL: Ronaldo’s two goals fail to save Juve from exit
Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace failed to see Juventus through against Lyon, as Manchester City capitalised on two Raphael Varane errors as they made it through to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Etihad (4-2 on aggregate).
The hosts added to their first-leg advantage early on as a lackadaisical Varane was caught in possession on his own byline by Gabriel Jesus, who squared for Raheem Sterling to tap home for his 100th Manchester City goal (9).
It didn’t change much for Real, still needing two away goals to qualify, and they got a first through Karim Benzema’s header from a Rodrygo cross (28).
But it was chaos in the second period as Real continued to mess around with the ball deep in their half, and City eventually killed the tie off as Jesus nipped in to capitalise on a weak Varane header to brilliantly poke home from an angle (68).
Pep Guardiola’s City, chasing that elusive first Champions League crown, will now travel to Lisbon for the single-leg quarter-final against Lyon, on August 15.
La Liga champions Real hadn’t played a competitive game since July 17, and it showed in the first half with some of the most casual possession seen in European competition this season.
Without captain and talisman Sergio Ramos, who was suspended having been sent off in the first leg, Real were poor defensively throughout. Varane dawdled on the ball early on at the touchline, allowing Jesus to rob him, before squaring for Sterling to simply tap home from 10 yards with just Real defender Dani Carvajal on the line.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s two goals inspired Juventus to a 2-1 comeback victory over Lyon but it wasn’t enough as a 2-2 aggregate draw saw them crash out of the Champions League on away goals.
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Trailing 1-0 from the first leg – which took place 163 days ago – recently-crowned Serie A champions Juve found themselves needing to score three goals after Memphis Depay’s nonchalant 12th-minute penalty.
Ronaldo reduced the arrears two minutes before the break with a penalty of his own and gave Juventus further hope when he rocketed his 130th Champions League goal into the top corner on the hour.