Vinicius Jr. and Rodri Star as Real Madrid Reach Champions League Semifinals
Real Madrid Defeats Manchester City 3-1
Vinicius Jr. Scores Twice, Rodri Heads Home Consolation Goal
Real Madrid reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-1 victory over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Vinicius Junior was the star of the show for the Spanish giants, scoring twice in the first half to give Real a commanding lead.
City pulled one back through Rodri in the second half, but Karim Benzema sealed the victory for Real with a late penalty.
The result means that Real will face either Chelsea or Bayern Munich in the semifinals, while City's hopes of winning the Champions League for the first time are over.
Vinicius Jr. Continues to Shine
Vinicius Jr. has been in excellent form for Real Madrid this season, and he continued that form against Manchester City. The Brazilian winger was a constant threat to the City defense, and he took his goals well.
His first goal came in the 20th minute, when he latched onto a pass from Benzema and fired a low shot into the bottom corner. His second goal came in the 68th minute, when he again got on the end of a Benzema pass and slotted the ball home.
Vinicius Jr.'s performance was even more impressive considering that he was playing against one of the best defenses in Europe. City have conceded just 21 goals in the Premier League this season, but Vinicius Jr. made them look ordinary at times.
Rodri Scores Consolation Goal
Rodri scored a consolation goal for City in the 90th minute, but it was too little, too late for the English champions.
The Spanish midfielder headed home a cross from Riyad Mahrez, but Real were already well on their way to victory by that stage.
Real Madrid Reach Semifinals
Real Madrid's victory over Manchester City means that they have reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the 16th time in their history.
They will now face either Chelsea or Bayern Munich in the semifinals, and they will be confident of reaching the final.
Conclusion
Real Madrid's victory over Manchester City was a deserved one. They were the better team on the night, and they took their chances well.
Vinicius Jr. was the star of the show for Real, and he will be hoping to continue his good form in the semifinals.
