Manchester City are through to the final of the Champions League after a 4-0 mauling of Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final secured a 5-1 aggregate win
Bernardo Silva scored twice in the first half as Pep Guardiola's side overwhelmed the defending champions
 Carlo Ancelotti's team tried to rally after the break but Eder Militao's own goal and Julian Alvarez's stoppage-time finish only reflected the gulf in class
The fantastic form that has seen City go 23 games unbeaten, winning their last 15 at the Etihad Stadium, was far too good for Real Madrid
 It is magnificent Manchester City who will play Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on June 10
One spectacular goal apiece in the Bernabeu last week had left the tie delicately poised and there was quality everywhere you looked
 City were looking to reach the final for the second time in three seasons but they were up against the 14-time champions of Europe
There was an atmosphere to match the occasion
 Pyrotechnics as the team bus arrived at the stadium
 Boos for the Champions League anthem, of course, but a raucous mood thereafter with supporters desperate to see their side take down European royalty
What followed was a one-sided game from the first whistle
Erling Haaland had been kept surprisingly quiet by the dogged Antonio Rudiger in the Spanish capital but Militao's availability saw the Germany international defender drop to the bench
 And the job of shutting out the City striker had only been half done
Inside 13 minutes, he would have put City ahead but for an unlikely stop by Thibaut Courtois with his body
 Soon after, Haaland was denied again by the outstretched arm of the Real Madrid goalkeeper
 Courtois kept him out again late on but he could not deny City for long
Guardiola's side had dominated the early proceedings in the first leg but the lesson of that game had been that appearances can be deceptive
 Ancelotti's team have demonstrated repeatedly that they have the self-confidence to wait for their opening
There was a warning or two
 Vinicius Junior briefly finding space in behind Kyle Walker only for the City defender to show his recovery pace
 Toni Kroos came even closer to scoring when striking the crossbar with Madrid's only attempt of the opening 45 minutes
But those moments aside, there was no hint of quiet control from Ancelotti's side
 They were not biding their time
 They were being swamped
 The second goal brought a fairer reflection of the gulf, Silva nodding in after Ilkay Gundogan's shot was blocked
Madrid's best bits were isolated and individual efforts, David Alaba's wicked shot being tipped over by Ederson
 City were slicker, the only surprise being that their third goal was not a thing of beauty
 Militao put the ball into his own net from Kevin De Bruyne's free-kick
That brought Poznan-style celebrations in the stands that turned into childlike joy when Alvarez slotted in the fourth
 These fans expect something to go wrong in this competition
 This was a complete performance, maybe even a passing of the baton in European football
Having already overcome Bayern Munich in the quarter-final, now another heavyweight of the European game has succumbed to this City side
 Inter await in Istanbul next month
 The likelihood of that being the night they complete an historic treble is increasing
Ancelotti accepted that City were worthy winners
 "I think tonight Manchester City deserved to win because they played better than us," he said
 "Last season was different
 They were better than us [tonight] as last season we were better than them
"Asked where he ranks this performance, Guardiola could not have been clearer
 "The highest," he replied
 "Considering the opponent, Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League
 We had to perform well and we did, especially in the first half
"He added: "I had the feeling these last days that we had the mix of calm and tension
 After 10 or 15 minutes, I had the feeling that all the pain of last season was there today
 It was so tough last season … We had to swallow everything
"That was a reference to the stunning defeat in the Bernabeu at this stage one year ago when City contrived to surrender a two-goal lead with just minutes remaining
 His players' character was criticised
 "We accepted defeat and today we were there
"Guardiola has been reluctant to discuss the possibility of the treble but did concede that it was natural for it to be in the players' minds as his team close in on an historic achievement for the club
 "It is normal," he said
 "We are three games away
"One more win in the Premier League will retain that title
 Manchester United await them in the FA Cup final at Wembley
 Secure those results and the treble can be won with victory over Inter
 "We are close and of course we are going to try
"Manchester City face Chelsea on Sunday - live on Sky Sports Premier League - with a win enough to clinch their third consecutive title; kick-off 4pm
Real Madrid head to relegation-threatened Valencia on Sunday in LaLiga; kick-off 5
30pm
May 21:  (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4pm, live on May 24: (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on May 28:  (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4
30pmJune 3:  (Wembley) - FA Cup final, kick-off 3pmJune 10:  (Istanbul) - Champions League final, kick-off 8pm
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