The Spurs win in the epic battle of the Champions League while Llorente knocks Manchester City | Soccer

Seriously, where are you going? It was a wild and eccentric night full of tragedies and incidents, and when the Tottenham players finally manage to catch their breath, they can start hoping for a semi-final in the Champions League.

They had broken a gaping hole in Manchester City's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple and, in doing so, have reached the last four of this competition for the first time. Their celebrations at the end were long and joyful.

This, however, only tells part of the story of a match when City led 1-0, led 2-1, and then led 3-2, in the first 21 minutes, even before that we do not go to the drama of a second. Both teams scored again – the result being decisive for the Spurs substitute, Fernando Llorente – and Pep Guardiola's team had to endure the test of time stopping that Raheem Sterling had summoned a late dramatic winner.

It was Sterling's hat trick and, in the 94th minute, the fatal blow. And at those times, with some of the young players coming back into the stadium rushing into the stadium to participate in the tumultuous celebrations, it seemed like City had achieved a remarkable feat in terms of escape. Except that football has changed. No flags had risen, but VAR had the advantage of playing again. This showed that Sergio Aguero was slightly off the line of defense when the ball had reached him.

As if it was not unbearable enough for City, VAR had countered them in the 73rd minute when Llorente was found in a corner to score a decisive goal. Should he have stayed? The Turkish referee, Cuneyt Cakir, took an age to make up his mind and, even at that time, he did not look sure. His first reaction was to extend his arms as if to say that he was uncertain. In the end, he reported that the ball had hit Llorente on one thigh. And that meant that the Spurs were again ahead of goal rule on the outside.

City players claimed that the decisive touch had escaped Llorente's elbow, but they may end up realizing that it was not VAR who was responsible for their elimination but their inability to score a goal. on the outside.

The Spurs managed two minutes in the first 10 minutes and both times Son Heung-min put the ball past Ederson. The calculations have changed again. The first meant that City needed at least three to pass. Three minutes later, Son had his second goal and that meant City needed four. However, they had the first of Sterling after four minutes and when Bernardo Silva increased the score to 2-2, the complexion of the game has changed again.

The Spurs were in advance barely a minute. Then, Sterling came up again to put the next one and, for long periods, the Spurs had to resist an attack.

It was certainly a captivating show, containing all kinds of possibilities, as the match tipped in favor of the local team, then the outside team, and then again, even before half-time.

It was rare to see a quarterfinal match in the Champions League so openly and, even if that mattered little in the end, the Spurs really should have made the match easier once Son's goals opened a 3-1 lead. With City's next goal coming so fast, it meant there was never a concerted period in that bewildering, often bewildering blitz in the first half, when Guardiola's players escaped. The shot of Bernardo Silva deflected by Danny Rose to equalize and, again, the match is gone.

For the Spurs, the frustration that prevailed during this limpid period is that both of City's goals came from dangerous opponents who escape their markers. It's the same thing when Sterling went from left to right to make the right shot of Kevin De Bruyne 3-2. De Bruyne had also scheduled Sterling to cut in and pick the furthest corner with a right-footed finish for curling for the first goal. The next Sterling player was closer, this time with his left foot, his 23rd and 24th of the season.

The Spurs have certainly taken their chances at times and, yes, a more experienced team might have changed the pace of the game after the initial goal hurry. Mauricio Pochettino's side would have been castigated if he had thrown it away. Still, they were still dangerous and seemed to realize that City, without Fernandinho at first, could be vulnerable to the center. They were rewarded for their adventure and Son gave the impression that he might have been offended by the suggestion that he would miss Harry Kane, hurt.

His second goal, in particular, was a beauty, an elegant shot in the top corner after a move that started with Aymeric Laporte losing the ball in his own half. Laporte was also guilty of Son's first goal when the defender accidentally shot the ball in the striker's direction. His, playing with immense confidence, let fly with his right shoe and the skimmed ball under Ederson, which probably should have done better.

The fact that the score remained 3-2 for the remainder of the first half was felt as a drought in goals. However, City was still 45 minutes away and when Agüero scored his fourth goal, he outscored the total for the first time.

Once again, the brilliant De Bruyne was involved. Aguero was close to the position where he scored what they know here as the goal of 93.20. This time, however, it was not decisive. The truth is that Llorente's goal was hit by both an elbow and a thigh. The Spurs had VAR on their side, but they also played with a lot of friendship and ambition. Now, they can start preparing for a semi-final against Ajax.