Watch Aymeric Laporte Slap Luka Modric But Escape Red Card In Champions League Semi-Final

Aymeric Laporte was lucky to avoid a red card early in Manchester City's Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The City defender was at the center of an ugly off-the-ball incident after Casemiro had fouled Kevin De Bruyne inside the opening 10 minutes.

As the players surrounded the referee, Laporte and Modric were seen pushing each other, before Vinicius Junior barged into the City center-back.

Laporte then appeared to slap Modric's face while simultaneously falling backwards.

Italian ref Daniele Orsato issued yellow cards to both Laporte and Modric, before the VAR confirmed that there was no need to upgrade either to a red.

But had Orsato initially deemed that Laporte's slap was worthy of a sending off for violent conduct, it is highly unlikely that the VAR would have overturned that decision either.

Real, who had lost the first leg 4-3 in Manchester eight days earlier, went on to prevail 6-5 on aggregate.

City had led 5-3 on aggregate going into the 90th minute at the Bernabeu, but a late Rodrygo double set up extra time where a Karim Benzema penalty proved decisive.

Real will face Liverpool in the final in what will be their ninth meeting. Real lead Liverpool by four wins to three in their head-to-head history.

Referee Daniele Orsato pictured issuing a yellow card to Luka Modric after the Real Madrid midfielder was involved in a spat with Man City defender Aymeric Laporte

IMAGO/Pro Sports Images/Nigel Keene