BERNARDO SILVA’S shootout shocker was labelled “the worst penalty ever” as Manchester City exited the Champions League in the most agonising way possible.
Real Madrid reached the semi-finals with a 4-3 win on spot-kicks after a 1-1 draw at the Etihad meant a 4-4 aggregate stalemate.
GettyAndriy Lunin just had to stand up to foil Bernardo Silva’s spot-kick[/caption]
GettyBernardo shows his anguish after a costly shoot-out miss[/caption]
And fans focused on Bernardo’s “ridiculously bad” penalty – a tame sidefoot chip straight down the middle into the arms of Andriy Lunin.
The possible Panenka attempt was more like the type of effort that players use to warm-up stoppers before matches – rather than a key moment in one of the biggest games of the season.
Lunin also dived to thwart sub Mateo Kovacic’s spot-kick – both City‘s failures coming after Real’s Luka Modric fluffed his penalty.
Ex-Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger then tucked home the hosts‘ clincher
Bernardo’s woe was compared to an iconic failure from the spot by then-Stamford Bridge winger Pat Nevin in 1984 – ironically against City.
Nevin, now a pundit, barely took a run-up before he trickled the ball down the middle to keeper Alex Williams.
“Worst” was a popular word as viewers piled in to slate Bernardo’s kick.
“That is the worst penalty I have seen with my own eyes,” said one fan.
Bernardo Silva shocked viewers with a tame penalty down the middle
Another called it “the worst penalty I have ever seen in my entire life”.
And a third demanded official recognition for the Portuguese midfielder.
He posted: “Bernardo Silva deserves a Guinness World Record for the worst penalty of all time.”
Other observers called the spot-kick “awful” and “unbelievable”.
And one fan claimed City deserved to lose just because of that one spot-kick”.
But another viewer went against the tide as he wrote: “If he scored y’all would be shouting Panenka up and down.”
Why Man City fans were to blame for penalty defeat to Real Madrid
RIO FERDINAND and Joleon Lescott have blamed Man City’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Madrid on the FANS.
Bernardo Silva missed one of the spot kicks as City crashed out of the Champions League.
And the England duo spotted how the home fans at the Etihad played a role in the spot-kick being saved.
Ex-Man City star Lescott claimed the home supporters held onto the ball for too long after Real’s Luka Modric fired his shot into the stands.
He said: “That would have just took him out of sync and out of his rhythm.
“You can practice the routine, the technique, the walk up potentially, this is something you don’t prepare for, the ball being in the crowd.”
Ferdinand chimed in: “40 seconds by the way Joleon,” before Lescott continued: “That is a long time. It may not seem that long but it’s a very long time when you are waiting there and you are thinking, now do I change position?
“Now do I change where I go? And all of a sudden, it’s a soft penalty.”
Manchester United legend Ferdinand went on to say: “It’s a shame though as well, because it is the home fans that are delaying that penalty kick which is a shame.”
PABernardo Silva stroked his penalty too straight and too softly[/caption]“}]]