Let us look at the three ways by which Man City can overcome Real Madrid in the second leg to reach the final.
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The pick of the Champions League semi-finals was the mouth-watering tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City. These both were labelled by many as the favourites to go all the way, hence a contest between them in the last-four stage of the competition was one to look forward for many supporters. They both did not disappoint the fans, as they produced a contest high on quality. It ended with both sides sharing the spoils after a hard-fought 90 minutes of intense action.
Real took the lead in the first half through their in-form Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr. However, Manchester City levelled the scoreline with a sublime finish from their chief architect Kevin De Bruyne midway through the second half. From that point on, there was nothing to separate between the two, as the game in Spain ended 1-1. Next up is the second leg at Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side will hold the slight edge since its their home game, however, holders Real Madrid can never be underestimated in the Champions League. Let us look at the three ways by which Man City can get past Real Madrid in the second leg to reach the final.
It is not a secret that Manchester City’s attacking play depends a lot on Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian is one of the best in his position, who is capable of dominating any opposition midfield. Man City have often done well when De Bruyne has had a good game. He likes to string passes together and release them over the defensive line, if need be, to create opportunities. The Belgian is also capable of providing meticulous defence-splitting passes time and again. His form has helped Erling Haaland score tons of goals this season. However, Man City have struggled when De Bruyne is kept quiet by the opponents. Hence, Guardiola has to find a way to free up more space for De Bruyne on the pitch.
The Norwegian has had an unbelievable debut campaign with Manchester City this time around. Unlike most players who take time to settle into the Premier League, Erling Haaland has hit the ground running straightaway. He has been scoring goals for fun in all competitions and has broken numerous records along the way. However, he did not have the best of games in the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid did well to keep Haaland quiet for most parts of the match. If Man City are to reach the final then Guardiola must need his top striker to get into more goal scoring positions, where he must receive better service from his teammates.
It was at the same stage last year when Real Madrid eliminated Manchester City to reach the final. Back then City were cruising to victory at one point, however, a late flurry by Real saw them edge past the English side to reach the final. Guardiola will be well aware of the heartbreak they suffered in the second leg of the semi-final last year. He will be keen to avoid similar mistakes this time. Even though Man City are slight favourites at home, they must not give Real Madrid any glimmer of hope by making silly mistakes in the defensive third. The home side must maintain their concentration level for the entire 90 minutes or however longer the game proceeds.
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