Man City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Result and reaction as brilliant City cruise into Champions League final

The peak that Pep Guardiola has been building this club towards, and a point that European football has long been leading towards. Manchester City have not yet won the Champions League or the treble, but they passed the most difficult challenge in eliminating the defending champions, and did so with a 4-0 victory that went beyond easy.

The first half-hour was perhaps Guardiola’s finest spell of football in Europe, and maybe the best ever by an English club on this stage. It will surely be seen as the statement performance should City go and finally lift the trophy in Istanbul, as they reach the stage for the second time. Real Madrid, of all clubs, were humiliated. The entire game has been left trailing in City’s wake. Internazionale are going to need something close to a miracle to beat them, such is City’s level. It is why so many referred to this as the real final. City ended up reaching Istanbul without much of a struggle of all. They have only gone behind in games - in any competition - three times in the last four months.

This just never looked like being another of those. From the very start of the game, City came out ferociously determined to ensure they couldn’t possibly have a repeat of last season’s elimination. It was a storm. The manner they came at Madrid, and the way that Thibaut Courtois initially performed miracles of his own to stop them, briefly made it seem like it was going to be another one of those nights.

Bernardo Silva on facing Inter Milan in the final: “I watched their games, they look very strong and organised defensively. It will be tough but we will try it.

“The Premier League is another trophy we want to win with our fans again so will look to recover before then.”

There was a player whose goals were designed to transform Manchester City into Champions League winners. It wasn’t Bernardo Silva. “Bernardo has never been a top scorer,” shrugged Pep Guardiola in March, after one of his favourite footballers had scored at the Etihad Stadium for the first time since August. He sounded utterly unworried. Silva, as he said then, “is unique”.

He was aggressive presser, rhythmic passer, the man who could speed the game up or slow it down, the player he has used as everything from the most unconventional of left-backs to a false nine but who could be relied upon to make everyone else play better.

But then, after five goals in 51 games this season, came two in a quarter of an hour. Against Real Madrid. In a Champions League semi-final. Only Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski had scored twice against Real on this stage before, but they are more frequent scorers. Silva had delivered a winner of sorts against Carlo Ancelotti’s side in a similar occasion last year; but that was a first leg, and a 4-3 scoreline was overturned. Not this time.

On City’s greatest European night, amid Real’s evisceration at the Etihad, he is the man who powered them to a final where they will be favourites. It can go wrong from here – the abiding lesson of Guardiola’s City in the Champions League is that it always can – but they will never have a better chance.

Pep Guardiola has become the third manager to win 100 Champions League matches, after Carlo Ancelotti (107) and Alex Ferguson (102).

Manchester City have reached their second Champions League final, inflicting Real Madrid’s joint-heaviest defeat in the competition (also 0-4 v Liverpool in March 2009).

Reaction from Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal who said: “We played a rival who were better than us in this match, they pretty well overwhelmed us.”

Man City midfielder Bernardo Silva, spoke to BT Sport after the match saying: “It’s a beautiful night for us.

“We knew it was going to be tough but to beat this Madrid team 4-0 at home... it’s a wonderful feeling to be in the final again. Hopefully, this time we can win it.

“I didn’t feel very good at all after the first game. Tonight I had to try to do better for my team-mates and the fans. I’m very good with my head, hey? I’m very small but I’m good with my head.”

Bernardo Silva has been named Player of the Match. Uefa’s Technical Observer Panel said:

“He scored two important goals and showed great creativity but also worked tirelessly for the team to press and recover the ball from wide and then central midfield.”

Manchester City produced a sensational performance to defeat Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad and reach the Champions League final.

Bernardo Silva scored twice as Pep Guardiola’s side blew the holders away in a breathtaking opening half.

Eder Militao’s own goal late ow ensured there would be no comeback this time from Real Madrid, before Julian Alvarez added a fourth in stoppage time.

Here are five things we learned as City booked a final date with Inter Milan on June 10.

Manchester City produced a sensational performance to defeat Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad and reach the Champions League final.

Bernardo Silva scored twice as Pep Guardiola’s side blew the holders away in a breathtaking opening half.

Eder Militao’s own goal late ow ensured there would be no comeback this time from Real Madrid, before Julian Alvarez added a fourth in stoppage time.

Here are five things we learned as City booked a final date with Inter Milan on June 10.