"It's so strange it's like black magic"

Barcelona are also in disbelief that Real Madrid have reached the Champions League final on the back of epic comebacks. It's something that is now commonplace, but which the Barça dressing room see as "something paranormal".

'AS' reports that the reaction of Xavi Hernandez's team has surprised all the players, who can't explain the comeback: "This is no longer luck, it's something else"

"It's so strange it's like black magic," said another player in the dressing room that assumes Real Madrid have something special in this competition and have proved it in the last 16, quarter-finals and semis.

Guardiola's decision to sit Kevin De Bruyne and Mahrez was also a surprise in the Spanish dressing room, but they understand that the tie was very much in the bag for the English side.