Real Madrid punished for 'relying on their history' in Champions League semi-final thrashing against Man City, says Joleon Lescott

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Toni Kroos Real Madrid 2022-23
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Real Madrid's inflated sense of self in the Champions League came back to bite them on Wednesday, claimed ex-Manchester City player Joleon Lescott.
  • Man City crush Real Madrid 4-0
  • No late magic for Ancelotti's men
  • Lescott suggests their mentality was off

WHAT HAPPENED? Real Madrid stunned Manchester City in last year's Champions League with a pair of stoppage-time goals from Rodrygo and an extra-time aggregate winner from Karim Benzema. There were no such heroics on Wednesday, however, as Real Madrid went out with a 4-0 away loss (5-1 on aggregate) in the semi-final. Lescott believes the Blancos may have expected a comeback to materialise without needing to work for it, while Manchester City carried more urgency.

WHAT THEY SAID: "Tonight you saw a team that were playing to get to get their first Champions League title versus a team who were relying on their history in the competition," Lescott told BT Sport. "Manchester City took their chance devastatingly."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Manchester City have simply been the better team this campaign in all competitions, leading the Premier League title chase as Real Madrid lag far behind Barcelona in La Liga. Their superiority was evident in the second leg in all areas of the pitch, with Pep Guardiola's tactical approach working wonders in keeping the visitors from gaining confidence.

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IN TWO PHOTOS:

Jack Grealish Manchester City

Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid 2022-23

WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID? The Spanish club's season is effectively over, as they have no chance of winning La Liga. They'll play out the string with games against Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, Sevilla and Athletic Club.

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