Manchester City did what they could to rouse the faithful into a righteous frenzy and inspire their team for the Herculean task that lay ahead.
It was announced that all bars would shut 15 minutes ahead of kick-off to ensure the stadium was full from the start.
The big screens played a montage of late City goals, especially Sergio Aguero’s against QPR in 2012, complete with Joe Hart running around like a madman at the other end. There was a light show, too. A blue moon rose high in a night sky. Music played loudly.
There was encouragement from elsewhere, too. In Lisbon, Sporting were about to wipe out Bodo/Glimt’s 3-0 advantage from the first leg and romp through to the quarter-finals with a 5-0 win.
By the time the game kicked off, everyone had convinced themselves City were going to do it, that they were going to overcome that 3-0 defeat in the Bernabeu last week, that it was them who were going to play Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Well, it was a nice idea while it lasted. It lasted for 20 minutes. It survived a huge early scare when Federico Valverde, Madrid’s hat-trick hero from last week, ran in behind the City defence but, with only Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat, lifted the ball tamely and apologetically into the goalkeeper’s hands as he stood stranded on the edge of his box.
Erling Haaland’s mood reflected Manchester City’s as they exited the Champions League
Vinicius Jr (right) scored twice as Real Madrid won 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate
Bernardo Silva (left) was sent off for this deliberate handball during Manchester City’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie with Real Madrid on Tuesday night
It endured while City tore into Madrid. It lasted while the chances came thick and fast. Rayan Cherki hit a snap-shot straight at Thibaut Courtois, Courtois produced a brilliant save from a Rodri thunderbolt and Dean Huijsen blocked a shot from Tijjani Reijnders.
But then the idea died. Then, midway through the half, hope came crashing down.
Real sprung City’s offside trap and even though the ball was half-cleared, it fell to Vinicius Jr. His shot might have been heading for the goal or perhaps the outside of the post, but Bernardo Silva was on the line and instinct took over as he stuck out his elbow to divert it wide.
At first, it was assumed one of the Madrid attackers had strayed offside in the build-up, but once it became apparent they had not, City’s doomsday scenario developed. VAR asked the referee to look at the screen and he awarded a penalty and sent off Bernardo. Vinicius Jr sent Donnarumma the wrong way from the spot.
That was it. Everyone knew it. Even City boss Pep Guardiola must have known it. Suddenly, it felt as if there could be a great poignancy about this night, as if we could be witnessing the end of part of the great adventure that the best coach in the world has led City through.
This was the third time in the last five years that Madrid have knocked City out of the Champions League and it may be that this match marked the last time Guardiola took charge of the club in this competition. Everyone will hope he remains in Manchester beyond the end of the season, but that prospect is in doubt.
City are in a difficult period, too. Out of the Champions League and nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League, it will take a gargantuan effort to catch Mikel Arteta’s side. They will have to start by trying to gain at least a psychological advantage over them when they meet in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
As Bernardo walked down the tunnel, it was clear the game was over, but City did not play as if it was. Haaland thought he had scored with a close-range shot but Courtois, again, produced a stunning save. Rodri made space for a shot from the edge of the area but lifted it just too high.
This could be the last time Pep Guardiola manages Manchester City in the Champions League
Amid the chaos, Guardiola was booked for dissent. There was more chaos. Vinicius missed a golden chance to put Madrid 2-0 up. Then he missed another one. Arda Guler played a beautifully- weighted through ball for him and Vinicius met it at full tilt, but the ball bounced off his shin and flew wide. Even with their huge advantage, Real players put their hands on their heads in disbelief.
Brahim Diaz was the next to threaten City’s goal. His movement was so quick, his feet so fast, that he threw Ruben Dias off balance and sat him on his backside. Donnarumma spilled his shot but claimed it at the second attempt, just as it was about to trickle over the line. City did pull a goal back five minutes before half-time when Jeremy Doku wriggled away from his marker on the goalline and crossed for Haaland, who turned the ball in. Finally Courtois was beaten, but everyone knew it was too late.
City were given a fillip after the interval when Courtois failed to appear for the second half. Any anticipation that Madrid would suddenly be vulnerable without him was dispelled two minutes later when his replacement, Andriy Lunin, got down smartly to save from Haaland.
It still felt as if there were a little hope but City reeled from another blow ten minutes after the break when Haaland, who was clearly not fully fit, was withdrawn and replaced by Omar Marmoush. Perhaps Guardiola was saving him for Wembley on Sunday.
City kept pressing for a second, a goal that would at least give them victory on the night. Cherki whistled a shot just wide but time was running out.
Kylian Mbappe, who had been missing through injury in the first leg, came on for a cameo and was booked. But still Madrid would not yield. Lunin produced another fine save from Rayan Ait-Nouri and as minds began to wander, Vinicius Jr scored a fine second in the dying seconds of added time and the stentorian voices of the Spanish radio commentators in the back of the stand rose to roars of excitement and jubilation.
