Holders Manchester City are out of the Champions League as a stubborn Real Madrid earned a penalty shootout win in their quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium.

Ex-Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger scored the winner from the spot as Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin saved efforts from Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic.

After their thrilling 3-3 draw in the Spanish capital eight days ago it was the visitors who took the lead when a sublime touch from Jude Bellingham eventually led to Brazilian forward Rodrygo firing past his compatriot Ederson at the second attempt.

City rallied and almost levelled when Erling Haaland looped a header against the crossbar, with Bernardo Silva unable to convert the rebound. A dominant City then turned the screw in the second period, and levelled when Kevin De Bruyne fired in from close range after good work from substitute Jeremy Doku.

De Bruyne should have won it inside 90 minutes when he blazed over, and when City's superiority continued into extra-time Phil Foden uncharacteristically missed his kick when found by Silva in the box, before Rudiger missed a rare chance for Real before his penalty glory. Here are game's talking points.

1. The death of the double Treble

And so the all-English Champions League semi-final that we were all looking forward to will be between Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

Manchester City will still be wondering how they lost this game when the Wembley final kicks off on June 1, as they failed to make dominance and an overall gap in quality pay against a side who relied on clinging on for dear life in order to navigate themselves towards yet another European showpiece.

This wasn't a tactical masterclass from Madrid and they were more than a little lucky, with City left with 'just' the Premier League and FA Cup to fight for.

2. Jude Bellingham with a touch from the Gods

Jude Bellingham's superb touch played a key role in the opening goal (
Image:
TNT Sports)

"I feel like he's got a gift from God with his physique," said Phil Foden of his England teammate before the game. The deities didn't skimp on Bellingham's touch either.

When Dani Carvajal boomed a clearance into the Manchester air in the 12th minute it was an agricultural moment that we weren't expecting to see in such a fixture, but then Bellingham - running forwards and watching the ball dropping over his shoulder, with none other than the looming presence of Rodri by his side - effortlessly pulled it out of the air and then danced away from Ruben Dias. Soon afterwards the ball was in the City net via Rodrygo at the second attempt. Special players make big moments happen.

3. No John Stones weighs City down

Manuel Akanji started for City in place of John Stones (
Image:
Getty Images)

It was moment of genius from Bellingham that helped cut City open of course, but there was an element of the goal that was a little self-inflicted, with both Rodri and Manuel Akanji vacating the central space ahead of what becomes City's back three.

With a fully fit squad at Guardiola's disposal it was somewhat surprising to see the Swiss preferred to John Stones in that hybrid position Stones has come to call his own, and is it clear that Rodri - who has been complaining of tiredness recently - was missing the influence of Englishman by his side.

Guardiola made a point of stating that Stones wasn't injured when he missed the win over Luton at the weekend, although he did add that he was suffering with some minor issues. He didn't want to risk him until the second half of extra-time here, and he was a big miss at the beginning of the game before City began to dominate.

4. Man City can't catch a break

The often unheralded Rodrygo grabbed the first half goal (
Image:
Getty Images)

The goal was one example of it, but Real's commitment to quick, direct balls out from the back was causing City problems, particularly in the first half.

Carlo Ancelotti's gameplan saw his attackers play on the comparative lack of pace for every City defender not named Kyle Walker, and in Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo they have two perfect players primed to punish them. Guardiola's side have often struggled against the counter this season, something that domestic opposition have taken advantage of whenever they can get the ball, and their lack of pace is something that may need rectifying in the summer.

5. The physical - and quality - difference is clear

Nacho cleared under pressure from Erling Haaland (
Image:
PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

It was still in the first half when Real first began to look tired, with wave after wave of City attack raining down on them and only last ditch interventions, like the one from Rudiger on Jack Grealish, stopping the hosts' route to goal.

Nacho had to produce another one to desperately thwart Haaland after the Real defender had effectively rounded his own goalkeeper, and we were seeing the difference in intensity between the sides the longer the game was going on, with Real giving the ball away far too easily, most notably through Eduardo Camavinga.

The shot count ended 26-6 to the increasingly dominant hosts after 90 minutes, and it was clear that Real were relying on their famed European nous to try and drag themselves through, whereas City trusted their quality. It didn't save them.

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