Upcoming UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Preview: Manchester City v Real Madrid

Total Views : 144
Zoom In Zoom Out Read Later Print

Two giants go head-to-head as Manchester city take on Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final, second leg

What a game we have in store tonight in the UEFA Champions League semi-final decider as Manchester city host Real Madrid tonight at the Etihad stadium in the second leg of Europe’s premier club competition. The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the encounter which saw the tie remain on a knife edge going into the return fixture.

It couldn’t be more finely poised going into the game as Manchester City go head to head with Real Madrid at the Etihad for a place in the Champions League Final. Sources say the feeling in and around the camp of the Spanish capital is fairly 50/50 like it was in the first leg with Manchester city with the slight advantage considering they will be playing at home and they have a phenomenal record at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola. In thirty-five (35) games in the Champions league they have only lost three (3) and in this calendar year they have won all fourteen, scored forty-nine (49) goals and conceded only seven (7) which implies for every goal conceded they have netted 7 in return on average. Therefore, these stats cast the Etihad as an absolute fortress for the sky-blues who are not keen to let that impressive image slip as they seek to reach only their second ever final in the Champions League Final of their history.

However, if any team can challenge the Mancunians it has to be Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have taken some similarly big scalps over the last few seasons and obviously gone on to win on five occasions of the last 8 editions of the competition. If Los Blancos make it to the Final it will be the 18th time to be reaching that stage, so there is a lot of history behind them as well as confidence and quality in spades and this certainly feeds the burgeoning belief that they truly can win this game and go through to face Inter Milan in the Final.

Now, turning the focus to team news, both teams are close to their full compliments going into this game. That said, regarding Antonio Rudiger, who got the better of Erling Haaland in the first leg, there are suggestions he might not be included in the starting lineup as Eder Militao looks set to make his return to the back-four alongside David Alaba, following his brief absence due to a suspension. The confusion about this seems to be the subject of some mind games being stirred up by the Madrid Boss, Carlo Ancelotti. Camavinga is also available to start amid rumors of an injury he picked up in their last La Liga fixture against Getafe.

Pep Guardiola has said that Manchester City will “give everything” to reach the Final calling tonight’s game the most important since his appointment as Manager of the football club stating that his team has won every title except this one and how much they want to get their hands on the trophy. He also explained that he wasn’t mandated to triumph in this competition and yet he and his players cannot help but yearn for it although, he expressed, shall not be the grounds for judging his career and legacy which he termed an “already exceptional” one.