Champions League: Man City cruise past Real Madrid & into final with Inter

Michael Owen on BT Sport: "[Manchester City] are head and shoulders above anybody in Europe. They've probably been the best in Europe for the last two or three years at least.

"I don't just think they're better than everyone else at the moment, they're miles ahead.

"Unless there is a sending off or something stupid happens, I just can't see them getting beat [in the final]."

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, speaking to BT Sport: "We could manage the ball better. We lost a lot of the ball in the first half.

"I expected the start of the game, which was really intense. I didn't expect we couldn't manage the ball well. In football sometimes it happens where they arrive better than you so we have to accept the result."

What's the plan now? Prepare for next season? "The idea is to fight to compete as did last season and this season in the Champions League.

"Until now we did well, we have to accept the defeat, you cannot always win, and through the defeat try to be better next season."

SMS Message: "I'm sorry Mr Ancelotti, you cannot fly direct to Rio from Manchester." I'll be surprised if Carlo isn't sacked and appointed new Brazil coach by the weekend. from Dave, Cardiff

"I'm sorry Mr Ancelotti, you cannot fly direct to Rio from Manchester." I'll be surprised if Carlo isn't sacked and appointed new Brazil coach by the weekend.

SMS Message: Brazil could be an indirect winner of tonight's result from Anon, via WhatsApp

Brazil could be an indirect winner of tonight's result

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti: "It's time to learn from this, to think about next season and to improve.

"Last season we were capable of beating them and reaching the final. This time it was City's turn."

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois: "I don’t think the way City started was a surprise to us, we were expecting a burst of pressure: that they wouldn't let us play out with the ball easily. We expected to be pressed back into our own penalty area."

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker speaking to BT Sport: "It's tough, it was always going to be tough. Sometimes the emotions take hold of you. I thought the lads dug in well and we controlled the first half. In the second half at the start it was a bit sloppy and we gave the ball away which shouldn't have happened. We got over the line and that's the main thing.

On his match up with Vinicius Junior: "You've got to have a bit of arrogance like the attackers do, I believe in my pace and I go toe to toe with them. I believe I am bigger than him and can use my physical dominance. He's fantastic but you have to use your strengths. I just made it as difficult as possibly could for him."

"I think in this team, what I have loved since I have come here everyone has their roles and responsibilities. Obviously we've got Jack [Grealish], we've got Kevin [de Bruyne], we've got Erling [Haaland] but there is no stand out superstar and I think that is what gets us over the line more often than not where we don't just rely on one player. Obviously Real Madrid have got fantastic players all over the pitch but Vinicius has been their bets player. As soon as you nullify that main threat, have they got a plan B?"

On Jack Grealish: "I tell him when he does well and when he does badly. I play against him directly in training and he is a nightmare to play against. At this stage in the season, he is doing what he needs to do. He just needs to score a few more goals, I said aim for 10 for the season and go from there."

Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri had an argument on the pitch when it was 3-0. This is the culture that has been created at Manchester City, it is a shame that Gundogan is thinking of leaving. Maybe after this he will change his mind because you don't reach this high level of performance that easily.

You are here now, you know that if you make a mistake somebody will tell you off. There are leaders on the pitch now, that is the big change from the last two or three years. All that put together is difficult to get so surely he should stay.

Manchester City's Jack Grealish, speaking to BT Sport about his performance: "I am playing well at the moment, I feel confident but I still feel I can get more goals and assists."

On facing Inter Milan in the final: "Every game we play we try to dominate the ball. The manager in there is a genius and I am sure he will tell us where we can hurt them.

"It will be a tough game. They have a lot of experience. You have to be a good team to get to a final and they are a good team so you have to give them respect."

Rio Ferdinand on Jack Grealish on BT Sport: "We have to give credit to Grealish, he got a lot of stick in his first season but now he's a mainstay in this team. He doesn't get you loads of goals, but his skill for retaining the ball, creating space for others, drawing fouls. It's not just about what he does himself, it's about what he triggers in those around him with the space he creates."

Pep Guardiola has now reached the Champions League final for the fourth time (2 with Barcelona, 2 with Man City), with Carlo Ancelotti (5) the only manager to reach more in the history of the European Cup/Champions League.

Guardiola (2010-11, 2019-20, 2022-23) is the first manager to knock Real Madrid out in three different Champions League seasons.

SMS Message: If we go on to win the lot, what a debut season Alvarez has had. World Cup winner & a treble with City… Ballon D’Or anyone? from Jake in Manchester, via WhatsApp

If we go on to win the lot, what a debut season Alvarez has had. World Cup winner & a treble with City… Ballon D’Or anyone?

SMS Message: Alvarez could win the World Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one season…. Has that been done before??? from Anon

Alvarez could win the World Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one season…. Has that been done before???

Manchester City's Jack Grealish, speaking to BT Sport: "I don't think a lot of teams would do that to Real Madrid but when we are all together, and especially playing here, we feel unstoppable.

"When we play here, I don't know what it is, whether it is our fans or the pitch, we just feel unstoppable, even in the league we feel no one can beat us. It is unbelievable."

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal: "We played a rival who were better than us in this match - they pretty well overwhelmed us.

"We can recognise that City were better, we were lacking something. It wasn't attitude we were lacking but we allowed ourselves to be pressed back too much. In the second half, we had our best moments.

"We knew that City were very strong at home but after the first leg we were left with the feeling that we could be better than this here – better on the ball.

"We are Madrid; we'll come back stronger and we'll work really hard next season to be back at this stage of the tournament."

SMS Message: Amazing team, brilliant manager, fully deserved. But after years of literally unlimited resources, this has been building for a while and not surprising. Real Madrid have been living on borrowed time and great players past their peak & this has been coming for them. If there is no great Real Madrid team to compete with the Prem clubs, will the Champions League eventually become boring?? from Anon, via WhatsApp

Amazing team, brilliant manager, fully deserved. But after years of literally unlimited resources, this has been building for a while and not surprising. Real Madrid have been living on borrowed time and great players past their peak & this has been coming for them. If there is no great Real Madrid team to compete with the Prem clubs, will the Champions League eventually become boring??

The players performed following an idea. This team not only has a way of playing now, they have a huge amount of personality, there was anger from Manchester City in the first half especially.

It was like 'we will show you and we will beat you.' Then after 2-0 it was not only 'we will show you but we'll kill you.' Then after 3-0 it was like 'we aren't finished with you'. this was what we saw today, historic on so many levels.

The four scored by Manchester City tonight takes them to 31 goals in the Champions League this season. That is their most in a single campaign in the competition.

This is the final piece in the jigsaw, I believe, for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City - to win the Champions League. We'll look back at this evening in years to come.

They have absolutely bludgeoned one of the best teams in the world this evening.

It was so one sided, it was incredible to watch and maybe it was coming after all the years where Manchester City have got so close and fallen at the final hurdle.

But tonight, boy was that impressive.

Jack Grealish created three chances for Man City tonight, taking his Champions League tally for the season to 35. It's the most of any player this term, and the most on record (since 2003-04) by an English player in a single campaign.

Man City's Bernardo Silva became the third player to score 2+ goals in a Champions League semi-final match against Real Madrid, after Lionel Messi (2011) and Robert Lewandowski (2013).

SMS Message: Ederson is the game’s unsung hero. The treble beckons. Spare Man Utd fans the humiliation and post the FA Cup via mail to Etihad. from Kulecho, Man Utd fan - via WhatsApp

Ederson is the game’s unsung hero. The treble beckons. Spare Man Utd fans the humiliation and post the FA Cup via mail to Etihad.

SMS Message: Hell of a result for City, as a Man Utd fan I’m really worried about the FA cup final. Could end up a cricket score from Anon, via WhatsApp

Hell of a result for City, as a Man Utd fan I’m really worried about the FA cup final. Could end up a cricket score