Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid (agg: 4-2): Champions League last 16, second leg – live!

Manchester City are into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after an occasionally tense but ultimately comfortable win over Real Madrid. Raphael Varane was at fault for both goals, scored by Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, and Karim Benzema’s equaliser on the night ultimately counted for nowt. City can pack their bags for Portugal knowing they are only three games from winning the Champions League.

89 min Nicolas Otamendi replaces Rodri, who has cramp.

88 min City are doing a bit of tiki-taka timewasting. Madrid know it’s over.

86 min David Silva clips the free-kick just over the bar. It was a fine effort, which brushed the roof of the net on its way through.

85 min De Bruyne is fouled just outside the area by Kroos. City have controlled the game really well since going 2-1 ahead.

83 min A triple change for Real Madrid: Lucas Vazquez, Fede Valverde and Luka Jovic replace Modric, Carvajal and Hazard.

81 min David Silva comes on for his last appearance at the Etihad, replacing the ever threatening Raheem Sterling.

80 min Modric is booked for fouling De Bruyne, and is out of the quarter-final as a result.

79 min City are passing the clock down. Madrid need a goal quicksmart, and then another quicksmart after that.

76 min “It seems churlish that Foden should have to come off because Pep the genius’s genius plan wasn’t working,” says Ian Copestake. “Pep should bring himself off, so to say.”

75 min It’s been nervy at times, but City deserve to go through over the two legs. Barring a late twist, they will play either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lyon in the quarter-final a week tomorrow.

72 min City appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty after a very clumsy tackle from Carvajal on Sterling. That looked like a decent shout, and Carvajal also gave away a penalty with a foul on Sterling in the first leg. A few seconds later, Walker’s low long-range drive is pushed away by the diving Courtois.

71 min City have a four-on-three attack after another slight mistake from Varane. Bernardo Silva goes alone, with De Bruyne better placed, and eventually his shot is blocked.

70 min Madrid need to score twice now. A penalty-box scramble ends with Modric’s shot from a tight angle being saved by the legs of Ederson.

It’s another howler from Varane. His attempted backheader to Courtois was short, and Jesus, who had to take the shot first time from a very tight angle, stretched out his left foot to spin a superb finish past Courtois.

Raphael Varane has put Manchester City in the quarter-finals! (Probably.)

68 min “To Tony Patterson’s point, Pep loves playing midfielders in all positions, always has,” says Phil Podolsky. “Fernandinho is pretty spry for a wise 47-year-old who can read the game.”

Thing is, I know you didn’t write these words, but whenever I look at your second sentence all I see is ‘YAYA TOURE, ROME, 2009, APPLES’.

67 min A change for City: Phil Foden is replaced by Bernardo Silva.

66 min: Excellent save from Courtois! This is terrific stuff now. De Bruyne and Gundogan combined to find Jesus, who dragged the ball away from Militao in one smooth movement and lifted a shot from 12 yards that was pushed over by Courtois.

64 min A long ball over the top is helped across by Asensio to Benzema. He moves the ball onto his right foot, just inside the area, and slaps a shot that is straight at Ederson. That was a chance, and this is getting very squeaky for City.

64 min: CRISTIANO BLOODY RONALDO.

64 min If you don’t want to know the Juventus score, don’t read the next entry.

63 min Benzema forces his way past Fernandino and Laporte on the edge of the area before spanking a shot that hits Laporte and goes behind for a corner.

61 min A change for Madrid: Marco Asensio replaces Rodrygo.

61 min City have been better in the last few minutes. Foden cuts infield and forces a pass to De Bruyne on the right side of the box. He hammers a low cross that deflects off Militao and whistles across the face of goal.

60 min “Ramos a bartender?” says Peter Oh. “What’s his signature drink? Dirty Martini?”

I heard it was Old Fashioned.

59 min “It drives me absolutely mad that he plays for City, but what an absolutely brilliant pass from De Bruyne that was to set up Sterling,” says Matt Richman. “It is incredible how he can make one of the finest teams in Europe look like a set of training cones in the blink of an eye.”

58 min Gundogan clips a good first-time pass into the pass of De Bruyne, who storms forward from midfield. He reached the edge of the area before chopping back inside Militao and side-footing a low shot that deflected off the sliding Carvajal for a corner.

56 min “Looking at the shirts on display, this appears to be a major derby between two fancy airlines: Etihad v Emirates,” says Peter Oh. “Fair play to them but I miss the Brother and Teka days. Typewriters and printers versus washing machines and microwave ovens. So much more relatable to the common football fan than luxury first class cabin service.”

54 min: Good save from Courtois! Yet again it came from a Real mistake, this time a poor pass from Casemiro that went straight to Foden. He played it to Gundogan, who helped it on to the unmarked Sterling in the area. Gundogan’s pass was overhit, though, and that meant Courtois was able to narrow the angle and block Sterling’s shot.

54 min Real are starting to dominate possession. City will kick themselves forever and a day if they cock this up.

53 min “I remember you writing years ago that Fergie overthought European games (playing the ghost of 1960 Hampden versus Madrid in 2000 at the Bernabeu for instance),” says Digvijay Yadav. “For Fergie then read Pep now.”

Yeah, I think there’s something in that. Didn’t he leave De Bruyne out at Spurs last season? He tinkered at Liverpool in the league as well. I understand playing Gundogan for extra protection in midfield, especially as you don’t lose that much going forward, but I don’t really get some of Pep’s decisions in attack.

52 min Rodrygo is fouled just outside the area by Joao Cancelo, but the referee waves play on. Real need to get Rodrygo on the ball more because he has the beating of Cancelo.

49 min “Is there any truth to the story that Sergio Ramos travelled to the game on a fixie bike?” asks Matt Dony. “Has he bought any rare 180g vinyl records while in Manchester? Will he be enjoying some smashed avocado at half time? Is he going to try and sell me some ridiculously expensive gin infused with a hideous combination of flavours?”

48 min De Bruyne again tries to score from a corner, the brazen genius, and this time Courtois has to dive back towards the near post to push the ball away.

48 min “I’m rooting for the underdog,” says Ian Copestake, “but in the absence of any am gunning for Ipswich Town.”

47 min: Sterling misses a great chance! De Bruyne slid a delicious straight pass in between Varane and Carvajal to put Sterling through on goal, but he slashed his shot and Courtois spread himself to push it behind. I think it was going wide of the near post anyway.

46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half, and Pep has switched his front three to their usual positions: Sterling left, Jesus centre, Foden right.

Half-time reading. Read it.

Interesting, very interesting. City looked to be cruising into the quarter-finals when Raphael Varane farted around in his own area and gave Raheem Sterling an early goal, but Real slowly came to life Karim Benzema – who is giving a clinic in modern centre-forward play – equalised with an accomplished header. The next goal is a very, very, very, very, very, very big goal.

45+1 min One minute of added time. De Bruyne almost scores from a corner, whipping an inswinger that is punched away from under the crossbar by the scrambling Courtois. I’m pretty sure that was a deliberate shot by De Bruyne.

45 min “This might be controversial but I don’t think Fernandinho is great at centre back,” says Tony Patterson. “For me, he was at fault for the goal. Granted there aren’t many options for Pep but surely Stones with Laporte is better. Plus you’d get the benefit of being able to play Fernandinho in midfield.”

44 min Benzema volleys straight at Ederson from 10 yards. He was well offside and it wouldn’t have counted.

42 min: So close from Foden! Real almost give City another goal. Courtois’s awful drilled pass went straight to De Bruyne 25 yards from goal. He pushed the ball into Foden, who turned on the edge of the D and drove a low shot just wide of the far post.

42 min City are showing the first signs of frustration, mainly with the referee. This is all becoming a bit tense.

39 min I’m not sure Pep’s funky tactics have worked. Sterling has been dangerous, but Foden (false nine) and Jesus (left wing) have been peripheral.

37 min Joao Cancelo sweeps a low shot from the edge of the area that is pushed away unconvincingly by Courtois. Thankfully for him the rebound goes to Militao, who lumps it clear. It could easily have gone straight to Gundogan, who would have had a tap-in.

35 min No signs yet of any excess City nervousness, though I’d imagine that will change if Real get the next goal. It’s unthinkable that City could go out after being in complete control of the tie.

33 min Kyle Walker shoots from 25 yards, and immediately regrets it.

32 min “Hi Rob!” says Aadik Shekar. “That shot of Sergio Ramos celebrating the Benzema goal – looks like he should be bartending at some hipster cocktail bar w/ a password you’ve never heard of, no?”

Ha ha, that’s the perfect description.

31 min City were unusually passive during the spell leading up to Benzema’s equaliser. Now they are on the attack again. Despite the best efforts of Raphael Varane, this is turning into a cracking game.

The talismanic Karim Benzema has brought Real back in the tie. He started the move with a short pass to Rodrygo just outside the area on the right. He poked the ball past Joao Cancelo and stood up a fine cross towards the six-yard line, where Benzema arrived late to plant an excellent downward header past Ederson.