Real Madrid and Manchester City, the last two winners of the Champions League, meet again for the third consecutive year, this time in the quarter-finals, in a tie that opens tonight at the Bernabéu and in which the whites want the revenge for the 4-0 demolition of their favorite competition by the English last season.
Madrid arrive this time in better conditions than a year ago, with the League on track, when they lost it last season. Whites are a different team. As Ancelotti emphasized yesterday in a press conference, they have lost Benzema, the great reference at the top, but this has allowed them to win in an attack with more versatility, based on the good form of Vinícius and Rodrygo.
The problem with Vinícius is that the Brazilian is a double-edged sword because of the ease with which he causes conflicts and gets into trouble and ends up being more of a problem than a solution. To top it all off, Vinícius is one of Madrid’s four warned players (the other three are Bellingham, Camavinga and Tchouaméni). A yellow card would rule them out of the return leg. It should be noted that Vinícius has received a card in the last four games he has played, always for protesting.
The calendar favors Madrid. The whites arrive at the game much more rested. They have had nine days to prepare for the game. Another circumstance favors them. Throughout the season, Madrid has seen a very busy infirmary, but today they only have two long-term injuries: Courtois, well replaced by Lunin, and David Alaba, also with a cruciate ligament tear, but who has not ran a very brilliant campaign.
Ancelotti took advantage of the visit to the press room yesterday to call on the players to avoid the wreck of a year ago: “Last season we played in Manchester without courage or personality, which is fundamental in these games. We lacked that on the way back.” This time the Madrid coach expects something very different: “It will be an attractive match. Each team has its own characteristics, with a lot of quality in both. Technically, it will be very beautiful. We think we are superior in some aspects, they will be superior in others. The superiority will be seen at the end of the 180 minutes, when it is known who wins the tie”.
I keep getting really nervous. Especially the hours before the game. Defeat is suffering; victory, happiness? No, it’s actually a relief. Because the following days are calmer. It can be congratulated only if you have won a title. But suffering is part of the job, it keeps you alive, it’s fuel for me.” The Italian coach wanted to say that the line-up will be what is expected: “I don’t think we do strange things, no. You won’t miss the alignment, don’t worry, it’s pretty clear. There can be a doubt in the defense, nothing more”. It refers to whether Nacho or Tchouaméni will play alongside Rüdiger. “I haven’t said anything to the players yet, I will tell them tomorrow [for today]”, he said.
City arrive at the Bernabéu in the middle of the battle for the Premier League and a little disturbed by the losses in defence, where two starters are not expected: Kyle Walker and Nathan Aké. Walker was the one who initially had to face Vinícius, Madrid’s main attacking argument.
The big concern for the Whites is Kevin de Bruyne, who was already decisive in last year’s tie. The Belgian, aged 32 and despite having been injured for five months this campaign, has arrived in full form at the moment of truth and has generated 18 goals in 16 games. Madrid are also obsessed with Norwegian giant Erling Håland, who has already scored thirty goals, despite the fact that the striker did not shine at all in last year’s semi-final or in the final against Inter. The Norwegian has been in Madrid’s orbit several times. As an anecdote from the last season, Madrid kicked out the Norwegian player’s father from the Bernabéu box office, who started insulting the audience in the stands.
At the press conference, Guardiola was as cautious as almost always: “When Madrid loses, it is always said that they have played very badly and it is not said that the other team has played better. In these clubs it is judged like this. But I try to judge in a different way. It’s football The other may be better. That’s what happened last year. There is nothing more to say. I don’t think it can happen this time. Beating Madrid twice in a row is practically impossible. The goal is not easy”, he pointed out.
The coach acknowledged that “for Manchester City, winning the Champions League meant peace of mind. “We are newcomers”.
