real madrid

Real Madrid end Liverpool's Champions League run

Reuters reports bidding to win back-to-back Champions League titles and a record extending 15th European crown, a disciplined Real seemed content to sit back against a tame Liverpool who carried little threat for most of the game.

They ensured victory with just over ten minutes to go when Karim Benzema scored the winner.

Meanwhile Napoli are through to the quarter finals for the first time.

Forward Victor Osimhen struck either side of halftime to steer the Italians to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Real Madrid win Champions League

Vinicius Junior scored just before the hour with Real's first attempt on goal and their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several fine saves to deny Liverpool, who end the season with two domestic cups having also failed to win the Premier League.

In a battle of European heavyweights, Juergen Klopp's side had more opportunities but lacked sharpness when it mattered as Carlo Ancelotti became the first coach to enjoy double Champions League success with two clubs having triumphed with AC Milan.

Real Madrid stun Manchester City

City led 1-0 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate when Riyad Mahrez scored after 73 minutes, and looked set to progress to an all English final with Liverpool.

Real Madrid substitute Rodrygo equalised in the 89th minute, before scoring again just one minute later to level the tie at 5-5 and send it to extra time.

Karim Benzema converted a penalty awarded for a foul on him by Ruben Dias five minutes into extra time, much to the delight of the boisterous crowd in Madrid.

Spanish sides through to Champions League semi-finals

Chelsea had looked on course to complete an astonishing comeback after taking a 3-0 lead in their quarter-final second leg with goals from Mason Mount, Antonio Rudiger and an excellent individual effort from Timo Werner.

Yet the hosts came roaring back, with Rodrygo finishing from a superb pass by Luka Modric to level the tie 4-4 on aggregate and force extra time when Karim Benzema headed home to decide a remarkable encounter.

Real Madrid will now face either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the last four.

Liverpool knocked out of Champion's League

A draw was all Madrid needed to move to the next stage after they convincingly won the first-leg 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Liverpool now have no chance of winning a trophy this season as they sit in sixth-place in the English Premier League having already been knocked out of both English cup competitions.

Madrid will take on Chelsea in the semi-finals where the Spanish side will continue their campaign for a record 13th Champions League victory.

Manchester City beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals.

Liverpool held by FC Midtjylland, Real Madrid win crunch game

Mohamed Salah became Liverpool's leading scorer in the Champions League when he pounced on a loose back-pass to run through and poke the ball through the legs of the goalkeeper after just 55 seconds.

It was his 22nd goal in the Champions League, one more than Steven Gerrard.

Already qualified as Group D winner, Liverpool rested a number of key players – though Salah played the whole game – and Midtjylland took advantage by taking the game to the English champions in the second half.

Bale returns as Madrid lose

Bale had not featured in any of Madrid's past three friendlies, missing the defeat to his former club Tottenham and the wins over Fenerbahce and Salzburg.

Officially, his absence for the Spurs game was due to an illness, though he was spotted playing golf the same day as the match and reportedly missed out due to his state of mind after a transfer to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning fell through.

He was left out again for the Salzburg game, though no explanation was given by coach Zinedine Zidane.

Real Madrid sack Lopetegui

Madrid started the season well under Lopetegui, but things began to unravel with their 3-0 defeat away to Sevilla on September 26, and that result was followed by a draw with Atletico Madrid and further losses to CSKA Moscow, Deportivo Alaves and Levante.

The 52-year-old earned a stay of execution with a Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen last Tuesday, but a 5-1 loss to LaLiga's defending champions has led to Madrid relieving him of his duties.

Bale sinks Liverpool as Madrid make it three in a row

Substitute Bale, who also scored in Real's 2014 final win over Atletico Madrid, had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he rose to meet Marcelo's cross in the air from outside the box, sending it flying into the net to restore Real's lead in the 64th minute at the NSC Olympic Stadium.

French forward Karim Benzema had put Madrid ahead in the 51st minute by sticking out a leg as Liverpool's German keeper Karius attempted to throw the ball to a team mate, sending it trickling over the line, but Sadio Mane levelled from close range in the 55th for Juergen Klopp's side.

Barcelona 2 Real Madrid 2

Barca played 45 minutes with 10 men but managed to extend their record undefeated streak in the top flight to 42 matches, a record that stretches back to April 2017.

In Andres Iniesta's last Clasico, Luis Suarez gave the Catalan giants an early lead by turning in a terrific right-wing cross from Roberto, but the advantage did not last long as Madrid hit back in the 14th minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo - substituted at half-time due to injury - equalled Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 18 Clasico goals for Madrid by tapping in a clever Karim Benzema header back across goal.