Madrid were two goals down on aggregate against PSG with half an hour left to play in the round of 16 tie in the Champions League. They were one goal down on aggregate against Chelsea with 10 minutes left to play in the quarter-final. And then they were two goals down on aggregate against Manchester City with a minute left to play in the semi-final. Yet, against all odds, they find themselves heading to Paris to face Liverpool in the final.
✈️🎟️ PARIS. WE’RE GOING TO PARIS!!!!#APorLa14 | @emirates pic.twitter.com/kORqEdw4wO
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 4, 2022
This run of unrealistic comebacks would be called overkill if this was a movie but we have seen it happen with our own eyes. Fans want to believe that it’s the magic of the Bernabeu that doesn’t only facilitate but rather causes these performances. Some say it’s the mental fragility of the opposition. Some say it’s simply Carlo Ancelotti’s eyebrows.
Give them some credit
To attribute their success to these romantic ideals is tempting but it does this great side a huge disservice. Madrid won all three ties effectively because they took their chances while their opponents did not. Lionel Messi did not score his penalty in the first leg, Romelu Lukaku had gilt edged chances in extra time in the second leg and Manchester City could have had two-three more goals in each leg.
Simply put, Real Madrid’s execution was better than that of their opponents. They have players with the individual quality of Luka Modric and Karim Benzema who will take advantage of any minor mistake made. They have the likes of Vinicius and Rodrygo who have a bag full of pace to spare and another bag full of tricks. They also have Thibaut Courtois, who is pound-for-pound arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. Their success should not be so complicated. But it is.
Were Madrid lucky?
It is easy to say that Madrid are in the final because they have individual skill,…
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