2023-05-09 10:32:33
Prolific. Spectacular. Intense. Choose the term that will fit best. The first leg of the Champions League between Real Madrid and Manchester City promises to be epic. Runner-up to FC Barcelona in La Liga and recently crowned in the King’s Cup, the Madrid club will indeed be keen to take an advantage and thus get closer to its objective: to maintain its European supremacy. For its part, the Mancunian formation seems unstoppable. At the top of the Premier League and in the race to lift a new trophy on a national scale, the Skyblues defeat everything in their path (17 wins, 3 draws in the last 20 meetings in all competitions).
Erling Haaland and others…
A clash already eagerly awaited by observers between two giants of European football with an offensive philosophy. The best attack in La Liga (69 goals scored) once morest the best in the Premier League (89 achievements). Two of the most prolific teams this season in Europe (25 goals in the Champions League for the Merengues, 26 achievements scored for the Citizens). Two leaders capable of transforming the banal into the prodigious. At the Santiago Bernabéu, how can we not imagine a spectacular opposition between two formations constantly brought forward? Symbol of this permanent danger, the respective lines of attack. Worn by Phil Foden (14 goals in 41 matches), Julián Álvarez (15 goals in 44 matches), or even Kevin De Bruyne (9 goals in 43 matches), the Citizens will mainly rely on their lethal weapon.
At the head of 51 goals in all competitions since the start of the 2022-2023 financial year, Erling Haaland remains, moreover, the top scorer on the European scene with 12 achievements. Insatiable, a constant danger, the Mancunian number 9 multiplies the records and will logically remain a real threat to the Madrid defense. However, the locals will also have arguments to make… In the wake of their Golden Ball, Karim Benzema (29 goals and 6 assists in 38 matches), the Merengues might cause great damage in the English defense . On the wings, Vinicius Jr (22 goals, 21 offerings) achieves, as such, a breathtaking season. With 6 goals in the Champions League, the Brazilian is also expected to be one of the big players in this clash.
Defensive animation, an XXL challenge!
What regarding Rodrygo, X factor of the training trained by Carlo Ancelotti. With 5 goals in C1, the 22-year-old right winger (6 goals and 9 assists in La Liga) remains a major asset for Casa Blanca. Along with Marco Asensio (11 goals, 8 assists) and Federico Valverde (12 goals, 6 offerings). “Haaland is obviously a very dangerous player, who shows impressive qualities, especially in front of goal. He is an obvious threat, but to speak only of him is to forget a whole team which plays well, which has ideas. The defensive aspect will be important, but we are not focusing on a single player. We are not preparing a match to stop Haaland, we are preparing a match to stop a team that seems unstoppable.confided in this perspective the Mister in a press conference, specifying also that Luka Modric will be available and even holder Tuesday evening to face the Mancunians.
“We know that the decisive match will be the return so we hope to take a small advantage on Tuesday evening. That is to say a positive result, but also to be well in the match, not to suffer too much… It’s not only the result. Manchester City is a more complete team than last year. They had a very dangerous striker at the time, Gabriel Jesus, but who doesn’t have the same characteristics as Haaland. The style of the team hasn’t changed but they may be playing a bit more long balls. It’s one more opportunity for them.”. Asked, in turn, regarding the weight of the attacks in this confrontation, Pep Guardiola did not hide his pleasure, logically wary of the opposing power. “We will watch out for Vinicius like we have watched out for others before. We are not naive enough not to. But there’s also Benzema, who is his partner, and the variations they have. What I like most regarding this Madrid team is their ability to play in association. It’s hard to take the ball from them.”
Relaunched on his plan to overcome the Merengues, the Spanish technician of the Citizens seemed, however, to have a very specific plan… “I always liked the way we played and this year too. The pressure is very strong but the opponents also play and sometimes it’s difficult. What are they, lame? Tomorrow, there will be moments of suffering, as in all these decisive matches. But if you have Haaland, how not to take advantage of it, we will play for him! Erling Haaland? “He is very important to us. We never doubted his ability to score goals because he was born with it. He scored. But I want to focus on the team: we have changed the way we play a bit, now with three defenders and, as always, the adaptation of the group has been spectacular. We are in the semi-finals once more and few people can say the same. It’s the fruit of hard work, but we want to finish this last month with a bang. Tomorrow’s game will be amazing.”, promised for his part Rodri, Skyblues midfielder. As you will have understood, this duel of Titans promises to be exceptional. If the offensive weapons are countless on both sides, the key to this duel might ultimately lie in the defensive performance of the 22 players…
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