Preview: Manchester City hosts Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals

by


The 13-time winner takes on Manchester City in the first leg of the semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.

When: Tuesday, April 26
Where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Kick off: 19:00 GMT

Real Madrid’s brilliant history in the Champions League gives them an advantage when they face Manchester City in the first leg of the semi-finals, according to the Spanish team’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti.

Madrid’s 13 European wins make it the most successful club in the competition, while City only appeared in the Champions League final for the first time last year, when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.

“The history that Real Madrid has in this competition means much more to us than to our rivals,” Ancelotti said at a press conference on Monday.

“That history that has been growing over the years helps the players feel the weight of the shirt, a weight that is positive, not negative.”

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City cannot compete with Real Madrid’s European pedigree but said they can write a new chapter on their own.

“If we had to compete with history, we wouldn’t have a chance,” Guardiola said at the pre-match press conference. “His story of him speaks for itself.

“We have to want to compete against them. Playing against Real Madrid is an incredible test. We want to try it. We need to suffer, stay united, when we have the ball, try to attack”.

City and Real also met in the semi-finals in 2016 when the Spanish won 1-0 on aggregate, but City avenged that loss with a round of 16 triumph in 2020.

Real Madrid have had a rocky road to the quarter-finals in Europe’s premier competition, having to come from behind to beat both Paris Saint-Germain and last year’s winners Chelsea.

City’s main concerns ahead of the game relate to their defence. Right-back Kyle Walker and centre-back John Stones remain in doubt following recent injuries and the other starting full-back, Joao Cancelo, is suspended.

This echoes the quarter-finals two years ago against the same opponents when Fernandinho played as a makeshift centre-back.

Champions League head to head

Real Madrid and Manchester City have met six times in the Champions League and both teams have won two each.

The other two ended in a draw.

Statistics

Real Madrid is 13 times European champion.

The Spanish team is competing in the semifinals for the tenth time in 12 seasons.

Real making a record 15th semi-final appearance.

Man City’s passing accuracy in this season’s tournament is almost 91 per cent.

The English team averages 2.4 goals per game.

Coaches Corner

Ancelotti:: “We are very close to playing another final of the most important competition in the world and we are worried because we are facing a very strong team. There are two teams in the semifinals that no one expected to make it; Villarreal and Real Madrid. We are very happy to be here and to compete. What I can tell you is that Real Madrid will always compete, we are doing it and we will do it tomorrow and next week”.

Guardiola:: “We have to want to compete against them. Playing against Real Madrid is an incredible test. We want to try it. We need to suffer, be united, when we have the ball, try to attack. We play against players who have been in this position many times. That is why they have things that perhaps we still do not have. But maybe there are things that we have that they don’t have, I don’t know. In the end it’s 11 against 11. I tell the players ‘enjoy that moment’. You never know if we’ll ever come back here.”




Reference-www.aljazeera.com

Leave a Comment