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Real Madrid fans that left the Bernabeu stadium early thinking their team were crashing out of the Champions League were left to regret their decision as Carlo Ancelotti’s side pulled off a remarkable comeback in Wednesday’s semifinal second-leg victory over Manchester City.
With Madrid trailing 1-0 on the night and 5-3 aggregate heading into the 90th minute of the encounter, hundreds of fans walked out of the stadium believing the tie to be effectively over.
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Rodrygo, however, scored two goals in two minutes to take the game to extra-time.
Fans that were heading towards the tube station to go home were seen rushing back to the stadium as soon as they heard the news but were not allowed to return.
“I left my seat two minutes before the 90th minute thinking we would not qualify,” a Madrid fan told a Spanish reporter as he watched on his mobile phone the remainder of the game while sitting on some steps outside of the stadium. “As I was leaving, I heard the goal [Madrid’s opener] and as I tried to get back in, I wasn’t allowed to get back to my seat because of security. I’ve been a season-ticket holder for 24 years.
“I was told that in every door of the stadium it clearly states that it you go out, you can’t get back in. I don’t see those signs in the doors. In the meantime, I’m missing the best game of the season. I will report this to the club.”
Another Madrid fan was interviewed on Spanish TV as he left the stadium with his daughter.
The man was told by the reporter that there were six minutes left and that Rodrygo had just scored Madrid’s opener.
“I didn’t want my daughter to be upset,” he said. “But in any case, we can still come back.”
The fan’s face then turned into disbelief as he heard the crowd inside the stadium celebrating Rodrygo’s second goal of the night.
He jumped for joy alongside his daughter and shouted: “We’ve come back! We’ve come back!”
Karim Benzema, who had been key in helping Madrid comeback against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain in the previous rounds, earned and converted a penalty in extra-time to give Madrid a 3-1 win and a place in the final against Liverpool on May 28.