The Nyon hype in the Champions League draw produced the stellar Real Madrid-Manchester City tie. The two protagonists, through the mouths of their representatives, professed mutual respect, without favoritism. Although City, current champion of the competition, warns: "We have grown to like the Champions League."
“The draw is the same as last year, but with Arsenal instead of Liverpool... We remember last year, we beat them at home and we reached the final. It's an honor to be there," commented Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City's sporting director, at the Movistar microphone, remembering the 1-1 in the first leg in Madrid and the 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium in last year's semi-finals.
The former Blaugrana player, City's representative in the Nyon draw, expressed his caution against a Madrid that is always very competitive in the Champions League. “Real Madrid has historically had bad Leagues and then in the Champions League they have done it well, it doesn't matter what happens, and now they are at their best in the League. For them, the Champions League is a competition that they feel about, we know their mental strength and they believe it."
Although City, European and Premier champions (in which they are now second, one point behind Liverpool), feel strong. "We are also in a phenomenal moment. We are going to compete for the three titles, the Cup this weekend, we are one point away in the League and we have gotten a taste for the Champions League. We have a squad to compete for the three titles."
For its part, Real Madrid, through its representative, Emilio Butragueño, is very cautious against the rival that has been their lot. “They are the champions, we know them perfectly. There are going to be two attractive matches between two teams with an offensive vocation, we expect a tremendous match, with hope and enthusiasm that the team will be up to the task. "We know it's going to be a difficult tie."
Butragueño believes that playing the first leg in Madrid will not be a setback for the whites. “The positive aspect is that we have many virtues, let's see who is the strongest. It is a challenge for us. The Bernabéu will surely help us, for the players and the public it is something attractive, in the face of great difficulties the players want to show who they are."
“All the teams are strong, in the end there are two games, let's see what happens. It's City's turn and we have to face it, they are the champions and they have a very powerful team," said the Madrid manager.
Rafa Yuste, vice president of Barça, seemed somewhat dazed, confusing the tie that the Blaugrana club will play. “It is a pride to be among the eight best, we are going with the mentality of moving to the quarterfinals,” he commented on Movistar, confusing the phase that the Blauagrana team would enter, the semifinals, if they beat PSG.
The manager believes that Barça has enough arguments to pass: "We have Lamine Yamal, a huge squad and a coach with faith and bravery to call up young players."
Yuste predicts that "it's going to be a very nice tie, Paris has a young team and a coach we know well."
Regarding the luck of the draw, Yuste commented: “We avoided City, neither of us wanted each other because of an emotional issue, and also Real Madrid, which is already going well because we have a classic close by (April 21, at the Bernabéu) ”.
