Real Madrid can look like they’re floored, practically face down on the canvas and out for the count. But such is the spirit of Carlo Ancelotti’s fighters, they don’t stay down for long.
They come out swinging and have knocked out three heavyweight opponents that way. Real were behind to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City but simply refused to leave a competition they have won a record 13 times.
There’s no denying a great deal of luck was involved. City would have been featuring in tonight’s final instead had the footballing gods not been shining on the Spaniards so gloriously in that semi-final second leg.