Real Madrid adapt to Champions League needs: Shock and awe one week, armadillo defense next

Barcelona: Antonio Rudiger stared down the goalkeeper, took a deep breath, and drilled home the decisive penalty, proving once again there is no tougher task in club football than beating Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Madrid’s victory over Manchester City after a penalty shootout on Wednesday sent it to a record 17th semifinal appearance and kept it on course to add to its unequaled haul of 14 European Cups.

It was fitting that Rudiger finished off City after he anchored a spirited defensive effort by Madrid that weathered wave after wave of attacks by Pep Guardiola’s side.

For Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, it was a question of survival.

“There was only one way to get out of here alive. We had to dig in and fight hard,” Ancelotti said. “We showed the attitude and commitment demanded by this jersey. This is a very special competition for us and we always deliver something that people are not expecting us to produce. Everyone was writing us off but we’re still here.”

Those football purists who delight in Guardiola’s passing-and-pressure game (think Barcelona fans) like to say Madrid lacks a distinctive style. But as Ancelotti has said, he doesn’t want his team to have a “set philosophy” that would make it predictable; his team must be chameleonic so it can adapt to each rival, each game, each moment.

City completely dominated the ball in the away leg of their quarterfinal in Manchester – even though it never led and needed Kevin De Bruyne to cancel out Rodrygo’s opener – and hemmed mighty Madrid into its box for most of the match and extra time.

But Madrid showed that its strength lies in its ability to do whatever is needed to get a win. Ancelotti’s bunch matched City’s scoring prowess last week in the 3-3 draw in Spain’s capital, and then at Etihad Stadium it had no qualms packing its area and hanging on for dear life.

Rudiger solidified his status as Madrid’s sheriff at the back. The Germany player has also helped Madrid lead the Spanish league after fellow central defenders David Alaba and Eder Militao went down with injury earlier in the season.

Last season, when City beat Madrid in the semifinal on its way to winning the title, Rudiger was left on the bench at the start of a 4-0 loss in Manchester. This time, he played both legs that ended 4-4 on aggregate.

De Bruyne’s equalizer came after Rudiger’s only blemish of an otherwise superb outing when the City midfielder fired in a ball the defender failed to clear. Otherwise, Rudiger bossed the area and again kept Erling Haaland scoreless.

“Normally, we’re the ones who dominate our opponents,” said Nacho Fernández, Rudiger’s partner in central defense who also scored in the shootout. “We showed the other side, defending spectacularly and doing an incredible job in the lower-middle

block.”