Real Madrid once again came from behind in a tie that seemed lost in the 89th minute and completed the triple backflip that began against PSG, continued against Chelsea, and finished against Manchester City to reach the final in Paris, where they will face another powerhouse of European football, Liverpool.
In the round of 16, they faced the second leg at Santiago Bernabéu after a 1-0 defeat at Parc des Princes. Kylian, the desired Mbappe, extended the lead at the white coliseum. Carlo Ancelotti's team was on the ropes, but suddenly they rose up and came back against the wealthy French team, which boasts an endless array of stars like Leo Messi and Neymar.
In the quarterfinals, Real Madrid shone at Stamford Bridge. They won 1-3 on another special night for Karim Benzema and all his teammates. But the reigning European champions had not surrendered. On the contrary, they arrived in Madrid and with a solid performance, they went 0-3 ahead at the Bernabeu against a Real Madrid team on the brink of elimination once again.
The stars aligned once again and a goal from Brazilian Rodrygo Goes sent the match into extra time, where Benzema, assisted by Vinicius, sealed the 2-3 victory. A sweet defeat. Real Madrid had once again survived against a superior opponent for many minutes, such as Thomas Tuchel's team, who relinquished their champion status in an incredible way.
And in the semifinals came the culmination of the triple backflip. The reigning continental runners-up and mighty Manchester City, who eliminated Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals, were their opponents. At the Etihad, Pep Guardiola's team could have sealed the tie or almost sealed it. They quickly went 2-0 ahead but Real Madrid, far from being dead, reacted three times to leave the English stadium with a 4-3 scoreline that tasted like victory considering what had happened.
Ancelotti and all of Real Madrid appealed to the magic of the Bernabeu, those football phenomena that have no rational explanation and had already led Real Madrid to the semifinals. And once again, it happened.
In a balanced match, City seemed to deliver the knockout blow to the tie. Algerian Riyad Mahrez extended their aggregate lead in the 73rd minute. But Guardiola's team didn't finish off Real Madrid. They had chances, especially one clear opportunity, to increase their advantage. They didn't take it and paid the price.
Without Modric, without Kroos, without Casemiro, the midfield of their greatest successes, all replaced, Ancelotti's team seemed like a corpse. Mistake. The Bernabeu once again experienced an 'X-file'. Rodrygo Goes, who forced extra time against Chelsea, did it again, this time with a double in the closing minutes (90th and 91st). The white coliseum erupted once again. Delirium filled the stands and the pitch in front of a stunned Guardiola and his players.
In extra time, City couldn't recover from their astonishment and Real Madrid, fueled by the morale boost of the comeback, once again dealt a blow to such an illustrious rival with a penalty on Karim Benzema by Ruben Dias, converted by the leading scorer of the current 'Champions League'.
After eliminating Villarreal at La Ceramica, Egyptian Mohamed Salah stated that he wanted to face Real Madrid in the final. Said and done. The enchantment, the magic, the miracle, whatever you want to call it, once again had its effect above meticulous football analysis.