Real Madrid have 'no right' to be in Champions League final, says Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel was shocked by Real Madrid's late comeback in the Champions League after Manchester City controlled most of the game.

City came into the game 4-3 up on aggregate and looked comfortable for the opening 89 minutes, but two late goals for Real's Rodrygo took the game to extra-time and a Karim Benzema penalty sealed the tie's fate.

Real boss Ancelotti will now manage a record fifth Champions League final as his side faces Liverpool in a repeat of 2018's final.

The loss for Man City makes it six seasons without a European trophy for manager Pep Guardiola.

'Real Madrid have got no right to be in that final. They were the poorest team by a mile over the two games, ' Schmeichel told CBS Sport.

'The first chance was the first goal in the 90th minute, the second goal was the second chance and the third goal was the third time they hit the target.

'Man City were in full control but it's that one moment we talked about that. We talked about how that stadium in there could be the 12th man.'

The goalkeeping legend is no stranger to Champions League comebacks - he played in the 1999 final when Manchester United scored two goals in injury time to beat Bayern Munich 2-1.

He added: 'When they started that second half, that chance after just eight seconds it was like they set the whole place on fire and it was just unbelievable.'

'I did think Real Madrid would go into the final because of the situation in England but they were so poor. Only the game at Chelsea was good. I don't understand anything about football any more.'

'You should never doubt the players in this team. We have always said, experience counts for so much in this competition, but they showed heart, desire. These players, they have been there, they have seen this.

'The fact that they have so many players in this squad that have won multiple Champions Leagues, at no point in this tournament did you see them panic. No matter where they are, what players that they have got, these boys trust each other, trust the manager, and this crowd, they have been crazy.'

Schmeichel played one season for City at the end of his playing career, and his son Kasper, now of Leicester, began his career at the club.

The 58-year-old continued: 'I feel a little bit sorry for Manchester City, I have to say that because I thought apart from that goal in the 90th minute they played really well, they had everything under control.

'Rodri in midfield was awesome tonight and I'm not going to criticise anything, but if you lose a player like Kevin De Bruyne and the game turns out in the way it does then you miss him in that last 30 minutes and he was sorely missed.

'But I mean my God! Real Madrid, where does that come from? I have absolutely no idea. They didn't play well. Predicting this Champions League has been very, very difficult. I had Bayern Munich winning it and they got knocked out in the quarter-finals.'

Real will face Liverpool in the Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris on May 28.