Key takeaways: 

• Kevin De Bruyne netted and assisted in the exact Champions League match for only the second time in 59 appearances in the competition, after doing so against Real Madrid in February 2020. 
• Manchester City will take a slim Champions League semi-final benefit to the Bernabeu after beating a seven-goal first-leg masterpiece against Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium.

City delivered a superb show as they peppered Real's goal for long periods. Still, Carlo Ancelotti's team kept climbing off the canvas to somehow hold themselves in serious contention to reach another final.

Kevin de Bruyne set the style for a magical football evening with a diving header from Riyad Mahrez's cross in the second minute, and in-form Gabriel Jesus quickly counted a second from close range as Real staggered under wave after wave of attacks.

Mahrez enraged boss Pep Guardiola when he struck the side-netting instead of seeing the unmarked Phil Foden, who fired inches wide before Karim Benzema, inevitably, provided Real a lifeline by sweeping home Ferland Mendy's cross after 33 minutes.

Soon after the break, the Spanish team ran again when Mahrez hit the post, but City revived their two-goal benefit when an unmarked Foden headed home Fernandinho's cross in the 53rd minute.

City was pegged again when Vinicius Junior dummied further Fernandinho and ran from inside his half to net an excellent second for Real.

However, clever use of advantage from referee Istvan Kovacs let Bernardo Silva blaze into the top-left corner for City's fourth.

There was no let-up, and Benzema limited a spectacular match by showing nerves of steel to chip a Panenka penalty above Ederson with eight minutes left following Aymeric Laporte's handball.

Liverpool meets Spanish team Villarreal in this year's other semi-final, with the first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.

The final will be held at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, 28 May.