Real Madrid's Champions League Hopes Dim After Crushing Defeat to Manchester City
Guardiola's City Dominate First Leg of Semi-Final
City's Free-Scoring Attack Overwhelms Real Madrid
Manchester City took a commanding lead in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a stunning 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola's free-scoring City, led by the prolific Erling Haaland, put in a dominant performance to secure a major advantage ahead of the second leg in Spain.
The match was all but over by halftime, as City raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden. Mahrez opened the scoring with a clinical finish from close range, while Foden doubled the lead with a smart volley from Kevin De Bruyne's cross.
Real Madrid, the defending champions, struggled to contain City's relentless attack, and their defense was breached once again in the second half. Bernardo Silva extended City's lead with a stunning strike from outside the box, before Haaland added a fourth to put the tie beyond doubt.
The result leaves Real Madrid with a mountain to climb in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on May 4th. City, on the other hand, will be confident of completing the job and reaching the final for the second time in three years.
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