- Cavendish coy on future as Girmay wins in Japan
- Spain braces for more flood deaths, steps up aid
- Japan urges 200,000 people to evacuate due to heavy rain
- Martin closes on MotoGP world title as Bagnaia crashes out
- UK's battered Tory party to reveal new leader
- Gill, Pant fight back for India in third Test against NZ
- UN nature summit agrees on body for Indigenous representation
- Bagnaia clinches pole for Malaysian MotoGP ahead of Martin
- Tatum propels Celtics over Hornets, Lakers hold off Raptors
- War decimates harvest in famine-threatened Sudan
- US-Israeli settlers hope to see a second Trump term
- 'Nobody cares about us': US election doubts in West Bank
- O'Brien bags two Breeders' Cup wins to match Lukas record for a trainer
- Man Utd said 'it was now or never', new manager Amorim says
- Trump, Harris clash over rhetoric as they battle for swing state votes
- Judge tosses New York plastic pollution lawsuit against PepsiCo
- Nuts! NY authorities euthanize Instagram squirrel star
- MLB star pitcher Snell opts out of Giants contract
- With stones and slings, supporters of Bolivia's Morales gird for battle
- Nvidia to join Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Intel
- Sacked Ten Hag wishes 'trophies and glory' for Man Utd
- Wasteful Leverkusen held by Stuttgart
- Trump says RFK Jr will have 'big role' in health care if he wins
- Gauff backs WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia despite 'reservations'
- Spain flood deaths top 200, hopes fade for missing
- Famed Indian designer Rohit Bal dies: fashion group
- Fake US election video signals sprawling Russian disinformation ops
- Spencer to end long wait for first England start against New Zealand
- Russian skater Valieva vows to compete again after doping ban
- Erdogan sues opposition chief, Istanbul mayor for slander
- Piastri takes Brazil sprint pole ahead of Norris
- Morales supporters storm Bolivia military barracks, take hostages
- Dodgers celebrate World Series win with long-awaited parade
- Tuipulotu says 'heart and soul' behind rise to Scotland rugby captaincy
- Amber alert as US figure skater leads French Grand Prix
- Black man convicted by all-white jury to be executed in South Carolina
- Last-ditch effort to solve funding deadlock at nature-saving summit
- France international Jegou resumes rugby after rape allegations
- Former Man Utd star Yorke named coach of Trinidad and Tobago
- Botswana's new president sworn in after historic election upset
- Death toll rises to 12 in Serbia train station roof collapse: minister
- US announces $425 mn in new Ukraine security aid
- Portraits of slain leaders watch out on Hezbollah's battered Beirut bastion
- Biden bites baby: a last week of US election oddities
- Emery says Villa are underdogs against Spurs
- Verstappen hit with five-place grid penalty at Brazilian Grand Prix
- South Carolina to execute Black man for shooting store clerk
- New Zealand captain Barrett says Marler has 'loaded gun' with haka jibe
- Kenya reintroduces tax reforms with new deputy president
- Crunch time for bruised Dortmund as Leipzig come to town
Man City make their Champions League mark but Benzema keeps Madrid alive
"We have to do a magical thing," said Karim Benzema after Real Madrid performed another Houdini act in the Champions League to escape only 4-3 down from Tuesday's thrilling semi-final, first leg against Manchester City.
Benzema set up what should be a special night at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 4 by scoring twice to take his tally for the season to 41 goals in as many games.
Without the Frenchman, Madrid's quest for a 14th European crown would have long since sunk.
Benzema scored hat-tricks against both Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the past two rounds as Real walked a tightrope to reach the last four for the 30th time.
By contrast, this was just City's third trip to the semi-finals, but the English champions justified their status as tournament favourites on the night the Etihad Stadium may finally have warmed to the Champions League.
The competition's anthem was again lustily booed before kick-off by City fans who have not forgotten the financial fair play charges laid against their club by UEFA.
Had City not successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, they would have been banned from the Champions League for the past two seasons.
Instead, they are 90 minutes away from reaching the final for a second consecutive season.
It was the first time the City fans had something to cheer in a semi-final.
When the sides met at this stage in 2016, Madrid edged a cagey tie 1-0 on aggregate.
Last season, City swept aside Paris Saint-Germain but in front of empty stadiums due to coronavirus restrictions.
This time it took just 10 minutes for Madrid to be clinging on to stay in the tie.
Kevin De Bruyne headed in after 90 seconds before Gabriel Jesus doubled the home side's lead.
Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden should have put Real out of sight, but PSG and Chelsea had similar regrets only to be stung by the survival instincts of Carlo Ancelotti's men.
"When you lose it isn't good," said Ancelotti, dismissing suggestions he should be pleased to have escaped still alive in the tie.
"It is easy to read this game, we were good on the ball and bad without it."
- The holy grail -
Once again it was left to Benzema to dig Los Blancos out of the mire by halving the deficit before half-time.
A wild second half raged from end to end as Foden and Bernardo Silva extended City's advantage, only to be pegged back by Vinicius Junior's stunning solo run and finish before Benzema had the final word from the penalty spot.
"No one can say they didn't enjoy it," said Guardiola. "It was a good advertisement for football."
Eleven years have passed since Guardiola last lifted the European Cup as Barcelona coach.
That same year City began their Champions League journey, backed by the wealth of Abu Dhabi that has made them the dominant force in English football over the past decade.
Now in Guardiola's sixth season, conquering Europe remains their holy grail.
There has been much frustration at the failures along the way, particularly when Guardiola has at times tried to be too clever by half.
But the sight of Madrid being put to the sword with the eyes of the world on the Etihad was why City have invested so much to bring the Spaniard to east Manchester and keep him around longer than he has stayed at any other club.
"There is not one complaint about the result, the performance," added Guardiola. "I'm so proud and incredibly happy with the way we performed."
The ultimate test of whether City are ready to win the Champions League awaits next week when the cauldron of the Bernabeu will expect another Real revival.
F.Carias--PC