Real Madrid and Manchester City, the last two winners of the Champions League, meet again for the third consecutive year, this time in the quarterfinals, in a tie that opens tonight at the Bernabéu in which the whites seek to take the lead. revenge for the 4-0 with which the English kicked them out of their favorite competition last season.
Madrid arrives this time in better conditions than a year ago, with the League on track when they already lost it in the previous one. The whites are a different team. As Ancelotti stressed yesterday in a press conference, they have lost Benzema, his great reference at the top, but that has allowed them to win in an attack with more versatility, supported by the good form of Vinícius and Rodrygo.
The problem with Vinícius is that the Brazilian is a double-edged sword due to his ease in generating conflicts and getting into fights and in the end ending up being more of a problem than a solution. To make matters worse, Vinícius is one of the four players warned for Madrid (the other three are Bellingham, Camavinga and Tchouaméni). A yellow card would exclude them from the second leg. It should be noted that Vinícius has seen a card in the last four games he has played, always for protesting. City only has Ruben Dias in that situation.
The calendar is in Madrid's favor. The whites arrive at the game much more rested. They have had nine days to prepare it. Another circumstance favors them. Throughout the entire season, Madrid has seen its infirmary very crowded, but as of today there are only two long-term injuries: Courtois, well supplied by Lunin, and David Alaba, also with a torn cruciate, but who He didn't have a very brilliant campaign.
Ancelotti took advantage of his time in the press room yesterday to appeal to his players to avoid the shipwreck of a year ago: “Last season we played in Manchester without courage and without personality, which is fundamental in these games. We lacked that in the return.” This time the Madrid coach expects something very different: “It will be an attractive match. Each team has its characteristics, both with great quality. On a technical level it will be very nice. We think of being superior in some aspects, they will be superior in others. The superiority will be seen at the end of the 180 minutes when we see who wins the tie.”
And he said: "I still get very nervous. Especially in the hours before the game. Defeat is suffering, victory is happiness? No, really what it is is a relief. Because the days after are calmer. Happiness "It may only be if you have won a title. But suffering is part of the job, it keeps you alive, it is gasoline for me."
The Italian coach came to say that the lineup will be as expected: “I don't think we will do strange things, no. You won't miss the alignment, don't worry, it's quite clear. There may be a doubt in the defense, nothing more.” He refers to whether Nacho or Tchouaméni will play alongside Rüdiger. “I haven't said anything to the players yet, I'll say it tomorrow (today),” he stated.
City comes to the Bernabéu in the middle of the battle for the Premier League and somewhat upset by the losses in defense, where two starters are not expected: Kyle Walker and Nathan Aké. Walker was the one who initially had to deal with Vinícius, Madrid's main attacking argument.
The great concern for the whites is Kevin de Bruyne, who was already decisive in last year's tie. The Belgian, at 32 years old and despite being injured for five months this season, has arrived in top shape at the moment of truth and in 16 games he has generated 18 goals. Madrid is also obsessed with the Norwegian giant Erling Håland, who already has thirty goals despite the fact that the forward did not shine at all either in last year's semi-final or in the final against Inter. The Norwegian has been in Madrid's orbit on several occasions. As an anecdote, last season, Madrid kicked the father of the Norwegian player out of the Bernabéu box, who engaged in insults with the audience in the stands.
In his press conference Guardiola was as cautious as usual: When Madrid loses it is always said that they played very badly and it is not said that the other team has played better. In these clubs it is judged like that. But I try to judge in a different way. It's football. The other one may be better. That's what happened last year. There's no more. I don't think it can happen this time. Beating Madrid twice in a row is practically impossible. The goal is not easy,” he noted.
The Catalan coach acknowledged that “for Manchester City, winning the Champions League was a relief. "We are newcomers."
