Manchester: Antonio Ruediger scored the decisive penalty as Real Madrid beat holders Manchester City in an edge-of-your-seat 4-3 shootout victory to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League after the teams were locked at 4-4 on aggregate following extra time on Wednesday.

City's Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic both misfired in the shootout to put Madrid in the driving seat and Ruediger slotted their final effort past keeper Ederson to extinguish City's dreams of a second straight treble.

An absorbing encounter had finished 1-1 on the night after Kevin De Bruyne's second-half effort had cancelled out Rodrygo's opener for Madrid, who sealed a semi-final berth against Bayern Munich.

After the teams had slugged out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg, Madrid, who have hoisted the Champions League trophy a record 14 times, took the lead in the tie when Rodrygo stunned the Etihad crowd with a goal in the 12th minute.

England international Jude Bellingham picked a long ball out of the air with stunning control in the build-up to Rodrygo's goal. Vinicius Jr crossed to the 23-year-old Brazilian, whose first shot was batted away by Ederson before he tucked in an easy rebound.

Rodrygo's goal was Madrid's final shot on target on a night that City had 68% possession, but the home side squandered chance after chance -- several from prolific striker Erling Haaland who was replaced at the end of normal time by Julian Alvarez.

De Bruyne finally drew them level in the 76th minute with a close-range finish and the Belgian had two incredible chances to put City ahead, but launched both shots over the crossbar as manager Pep Guardiola buried his face in frustration.

That took the tie to extra time but City could not muster a winning goal.

While Luka Modric failed to convert Madrid's opening spot kick, Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho were on target for the visitors, and Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Ederson found the net for City.

City have little time to lick their wounds as they head to Wembley on Saturday to play Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals. They also have a two-point lead over Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League with six games remaining. Borussia Dortmund will face Paris St Germain in the other Champions League semi-final.

Kimmich heads Bayern Munich past Arsenal and into semi-finals

Munich: Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich powered in a 63rd-minute header to give them a 1-0 victory over a toothless Arsenal on Wednesday and send them through to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in four years with a 3-2 aggregate win.

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Germany international Kimmich timed his run into the box perfectly to connect with a Raphael Guerreiro cross and put Bayern, who had earlier hit the woodwork twice from a double chance, in the driving seat following a 2-2 first-leg draw.

The Bavarians, enduring their worse domestic season in more than a decade, will next face Real Madrid in the last four while outgoing Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel became the first German coach to reach the last four with three different teams.

There was little to separate the two sides in a cautious first half with Bayern threatening early with two shots from Kane.

Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala in action with Arsenal's Gabriel and Leandro Trossard Photo: REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala in action with Arsenal's Gabriel and Leandro Trossard Photo: REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

Arsenal, bidding to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009, were almost caught on the break in the 23rd minute when Noussair Mazraoui's cutback was palmed wide by David Raya. The Arsenal keeper also blocked a Jamal Musiala shot a minute later as Bayern had a brief spell of pressure in the first half.

The best chance fell to Arsenal in the 32nd with Gabriel Martinelli's first-time shot, after good work from Martin Odegaard, going straight to keeper Manuel Neuer, who set a competition record with his 58th clean sheet. The hosts went close straight after the restart with Leon Goretzka's header bouncing off the crossbar before Guerreiro hit the post with a shot on the rebound. But they gradually upped the pressure and Kimmich charged into the box and drilled his header past Raya.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta made several substitutions but they could not find a way into the German box and had no real scoring chances in the second half with Bayern remaining disciplined and in control of the game. The defeat caps a disappointing four days for Arteta's team after their Premier League title challenge suffered a blow with their loss to Aston Villa on Sunday.

 

 

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