Manchester City eased past Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-final second leg to walk into the final of the Champions League.
Follow Us
The semi-final contest between Real Madrid and Manchester City were one of the most-anticipated fixtures of the current Champions League season. Many people backed these two sides to lift the trophy or at the very least fight for it in the final. As things turned out, they both were drawn together in the semi-final stage itself. The first leg went as planned. A high-octane contest at Santiago Bernabeu saw the game finish 1-1. With everything to play for in the second leg, fans were anticipating another closely-fought encounter.
However, what happened next was beyond anyone’s imagination. Manchester City eased past Real Madrid 4-0 to walk into the final of the Champions League. The domination that was on display at the Etihad Stadium was beyond imagination. Man City’s home record has been impeccable – no doubt about it. However, no one expected them to trounce the defending champions in such a manner. As good as Pep Guardiola’s side were on the night, Real Madrid were well below standard. Let us look at the three reasons to find out what went wrong for Real in the semi-final second leg.
Manchester City found their A-game at the right time on Wednesday night. They were at the top of their game from the first whistle to the last. A lot of things worked for Pep Guardiola’s side on the night but the one that caught the eye the most was their impressive high-pressing style. Man City were simply too good without the ball. City closed down the Spaniards every time they lost the ball. Their pressing and counter-pressing was highly effective, as Real Madrid struggled to keep hold of the ball and kept giving it back to the home side immediately.
As Real Madrid struggled to deal with Man City’s high pressing game, they kept giving the ball away far too easily. That first half was one of the best Manchester City have played all season. Everything went their way, as they were far superior than their opponent during that 45-minute period. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were not able to do much with the ball. They struggled to put a string of passes together, as blue shirts kept closing them down in a co-ordinated manner. Ancelotti would have undoubtedly expected more from his side when they had the ball, as they were unable to create many meaningful chances over the course of the game.
Real Madrid can be criticised as much as anyone want, however, credit has to be given where credit is due. On Wednesday night though Manchester City deserve all the praise, as they were too hot for the visitors to handle. City got everything right, from pressing to their defensive shape, maintaining the possession, creating chances and above all scoring goals. A lot of credit for that has to be given to Pep Guardiola for turning Man City into a real force. They could very well end the season with a historic treble, and not many could bet against them to accomplish it.
More Football Stories:
Premier League: Which players have scored the most goals in a single season?
EPL stats: Which clubs have conceded the most last-minute winners in Premier League?
EPL stats: Which clubs have scored the most number of last-minute winners in Premier League?
Premier League: Who are the players with the most number of assists in EPL history?
