Bernardo Silva was a fitting catalyst for Manchester City's majestic march into the Champions League final as one of Pep Guardiola's trusted lieutenants stole the spotlight on a defining night for his manager.
Prior to City's 4-0 rout of Real Madrid in Wednesday's semi-final second leg, the tie was billed as the stage on which Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne would underline their immense star power.
Haaland's record-breaking goal spree and De Bruyne's peerless passing have fuelled City's surge towards a remarkable treble in recent weeks. But it was the understated Silva who stole the spotlight on a cathartic evening for a club desperate to rewrite their tortured Champions League history.
The Portugal midfielder bagged two clinical goals and produced a sublime individual performance as City vanquished the Champions League holders with a 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Just the third player to score two goals in a Champions League semi-final against Real after Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, Silva said: "It is a beautiful night for us. We knew it would be tough but to beat this Real Madrid team 4-0 at home was wonderful."
Silva's masterclass ensured City avenged a heartbreaking loss to Real in last year's Champions League semi-finals, when the Spaniards scored twice in the final moments of the second leg before winning in extra-time.
Real went on to lift the trophy, but City ended their reign in ruthless style and are now within touching distance of winning the Champions League for the first time. City face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on 10th June, and Silva will surely be at the heart of what Guardiola hopes is the final leg of their treble charge.
Guardiola's men can clinch the Premier League title with a victory against Chelsea on Sunday, or by taking three points in either of their following two matches. That would be a fifth title in six seasons for City, who also face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3.
But it is the Champions League that has been City's holy grail since Guardiola's appointment in 2016. Guardiola has won the Champions League twice as a manager with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. Yet he had appeared cursed at times in the competition after City endured a series of painful exits.