The only blessing worth counting for Chelsea in this strangest of weeks is that the Premier League operate with a softer notion of justice than the champions of Europe. To judge from this tie, Paris Saint-Germain have no interest in slaps on the wrist when a guillotine will do.
It was brutal, magnificent and effective, a two-legged demonstration of what can happen when you pit a collection of exceptional parts against a disjointed, chaotic club whose most recent narratives veered between peculiar huddles and illegal transfer dealings.
Chelsea might have been fortunate to survive the latter of those scenarios without a points deduction, but PSG are less forgiving than the spineless folk who run our top flight.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid defender, on Amazon Prime:

It's the most important time of the season. These are the important games; every game is a cup final now. There is an expectation when you join the club to go far in this competition and win it. Everyone knows the Champions League is embedded in the club. We thrive in that. At a club like this, big players step up on the big stage. Fede put in one of the best performances you will ever see and now Vinicius Jr steps up tonight. Everyone put in a shift. Over two legs, we deserved to go through.
The gameplan was to play football. They were going to have possession and create chances. It was about absorbing pressure and it was about killing their momentum. Our mentality was to come here and win. We didn't want to step back and hope they didn't score. We are proud of our performance. It was nice to win here, to get one over on them. They have snatched a lot of Premier League medals from Liverpool and me. It's amazing to be back here. I have always enjoyed playing here.
I knew what I was getting myself into when I made the decision; I knew it would challenge me not only on the pitch but also off it. A completely different culture, language and style of football. A different way of playing the game. The people, city, players and staff have accepted me and encouraged me to be myself. The manager has filled me with a lot of confidence.

Pep Guardiola must hate playing Real Madrid these days.

Not only has he lost to them a whole host of times, but they have beaten him over both legs in knockout football a fair few times, too.

Tonight was just the fourth time that Guardiola has lost both legs of a Champions League knockout stage tie, with three of those coming against Real Madrid.

Guess who the other was against?

That's right, Liverpool back in the 2017-18 season. Of course, the Reds went on to lose the final to.... Madrid.

Jeremy Doku, Manchester City winger, on Amazon Prime:

I feel like we had a lot of chances. We played well, even with ten against 11, especially against a team like Real Madrid it's going to be difficult, but we did well.
We're disappointed with the loss but it's a hard reality. When you experience the games, it doesn't feel like they were much better than us even though it looks it from the scoreline.
It's a different Real Madrid [compared to the league phase], but every game is different. The first leg score made them play a bit more defensively; they didn't need to score. They've always had a great team, we know their quality. I feel like we did well today.
This campaign will teach us some lessons, we will learn a lot for the future ones. We will analyse the game and see what we can do better and then look forward to Sunday.

Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid goalscorer, on Amazon Prime:

We weren't under pressure because we scored three goals in the first leg at home. We knew what we wanted to do but we still had work to do. Now we need to keep working hard.
I was really disappointed not to score last week. I really wanted to score but it wasn't to be. But [Federico Valverde] gave me the confidence. He told me that today will be the day. I was able to do it and I'm really happy about it.
The last time we came here, the Manchester City fans (who put up a banner which read 'Stop crying' after Rodri won the Ballon d'Or in 2024 ahead of the Brazilian) were making fun of me. I wasn't disrespecting City fans but it was a way for me to prove myself to them.

On Alvaro Arbeloa:

We have been growing as a team and getting better and better. Two great performances against City. We are getting to know each other and playing better.

It was mostly a bad night for the Premier League sides.

I say mostly because there was one side that actually made the league look semi-decent tonight.

That side was Arsenal, they are carrying on the Premier League flag into the next round after beating Bayer Leverkusen.

For Manchester City and Chelsea, however, pure dejection.

Liam Rosenior, Chelsea boss, speaking on TNT Sports:

A tough night. We knew it was a tough ask and to start the game in the manner that we did. We had the ball in the final third. You can't make mistakes at this level. We had the ball in their box and Barcola hit one from 25 yards into the top corner. Their belief grows.
They were clinical. The third goal, ball breaks and he hits in the top corner. I haven't looked at the stats yet, but we had a lot of shots. They didn't make mistakes. I want to thank the fans because they saw how hard the lads worked.

On Mamadou Sarr:

Mamadou, he's a very good player, but we missed our two starting right-backs. There are times when you have to put players in and you have to trust them. it took the wind out of our sails.

On Trevoh Chalobah:

Trevoh, I just asked the medical team. He's got a high ankle sprain, so I'm praying it's nothing too serious because we can't lose another defender. When you go through a difficult run, you have to make sure your habits are right. We have a really difficult game at Everton and we have to be at our best to get a result there.

They couldn't win the whole thing, could they?

I mean, after their lacklustre victory over Benfica in the play-offs, I thought Real Madrid wouldn't have a hope in hell against Manchester City.

But here we are, and Alvaro Arbeloa has guided them to a thumping two-legged victory over Pep Guardiola's side.

The Champions League and Real Madrid are like two peas in a pod; they just go together, so maybe we shouldn't write them off.

If you do, do so at your own peril.

Leon Osman, former Everton midfielder, on Radio 5 Live:

That's what Real Madrid can do to you. They went about their moments with control in this second half. They thought they'd scored a few moments ago. There was a bit of frustration and suddenly they wanted a goal. They can score at will this team.

Pep Guardiola has a lot to think about.

Manchester City are not in good form at the moment, like not good form at all. That's now four matches without a win.

They have Arsenal this weekend in the Carabao Cup final, which is a real biggie.

It almost feels like that, and the FA Cup is their only avenues for success this season.

They ahve to try and get back on track.

Listening to the home end at full-time, you wouldn't have thought Manchester City had just been battered over two legs.

As Vinicius Jr was celebrating his late winner, 'Blue Moon' broke out from all areas of the ground.

It was one of the loudest chants I heard all night, the City fans were going for it.

That's most likely because they are proud of how their team played tonight, and rightly so.

With 10 men and all the odds stacked against them, Pep Guardiola's side never gave up.

They may have lost the match and the tie, but that was a performance they can take confidence from.

Still, it doesn't change the fact that they are OUT.