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May 13, 2023Real Madrid must accomplish three things in order to defeat Manchester City in the Semifinal
Everyone anticipates a repeat of the thrilling 1-1 draw that took place on Tuesday, May 9 at the Santiago Bernabeu between Manchester City and Real Madrid. After weathering the storm in the first half, Real Madrid could not take advantage of their dominance in the second half, which led to the game’s disappointing conclusion.
Real Madrid came out swinging in the second half after scoring with their sole shot at goal in the first half. However, notwithstanding Genuine having 12 shots on objective in the final part and three on track, it was City who scored using a pounding exertion from Kevin De Bruyne.
Genuine Madrid would most likely have maintained that success at the Bernabeu should set City in a more hazardous situation in front of the subsequent leg. Due to home advantage in the second leg, Pep Guardiola’s team is now slightly ahead to advance to the final.
Even though Real Madrid should never be discounted, especially in the Champions League, they will need a tremendous effort to reach the UCL final for the second time in a row. Therefore, without further ado, the following are the three things that Real Madrid must accomplish to defeat Manchester City in the Champions League semifinal second leg:
#1. Aurelien Tchouameni should be given the start at defensive midfield
Carlo Ancelotti used the midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Federico Valverde against City at the Bernabeu. Accordingly, the cautious midfield obligations were generally assigned to Toni Kroos, with both Valverde and Modric additionally assisting in safeguarding.
In any case, the German maestro is not a characteristic protective midfielder. He is better at playing the deep-lying playmaker with less responsibility for defense. It is no big surprise Kroos got mindfulness after a cumbersome tackle on Ilkay Gundogan.
Aurelien Tchouameni was signed by Real Madrid solely to fill in for Casemiro, who has since left for Manchester United. The French prodigy is an ideal candidate to disrupt City’s rhythm in the middle of the park due to his strong spatial awareness, impressive physique, and tackling skills.
In possession, Tchouameni can also provide Los Blancos with significant value. He has a venomous long shot and can control the pace of the game from advanced and defensive positions. Ederson brilliantly tipped over the bar his effort from outside the box in the 90th minute against City.
Additionally, Tchouameni excels in big games against high-quality opponents. He is the player for the big occasion, whether it’s his jaw-dropping assist for Rodrygo against Atletico Madrid earlier this season or his stunning strike against England in the World Cup quarterfinal.
#2. Put greater emphasis on flank play rather than center-based assault
By his standards, Karim Benzema had a very quiet evening against City. Even though there were some lovely touches and flicks, there was no finished product. Real Madrid must be on their toes and deliver the sucker punch on the counterattack because Manchester City will be on the front foot for the majority of the return leg. Furthermore, for that, the speed of wingers Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo will be crucial.
The city will attempt to dominate the match at the Etihad by pressing their fullbacks further forward and suffocating the opposition’s center-backs and midfielders. As a result, Rodri and Diaz will replace Ederson as the final line of defense.
As a result, Los Blancos must strategically utilize Rodrygo and Vinicius to extend the game after receiving the ball rather than constructing play from the center. Karim Benzema is fitter for a belonging-focused style of football and can be used to involve Rodri and Diaz’s consideration.
Real will have a numerical advantage in the final third if this is carried out correctly. Nobody in City’s defense can match the explosive Vinicius, except Kyle Walker. Vinicius and Rodrygo must be placed in one-on-one situations with City’s wide defenders.
#3. Make the game as exciting as you can.
What separates Enthusiasm Guardiola’s groups from the rest is their capacity to set the beat of the game regardless of the nature of the resistance. His teams show that they are in charge by gradually putting an end to their opponents’ press while waiting for the right moment to strike.
In any case, City’s new matchups against Bayern and Genuine share one thing practically speaking: they are not happy against a resistance playing at a high rhythm. City struggled to establish dominance in the first half of this season’s quarterfinal second leg against a Bayern team that had to overcome a three-goal deficit.
In any event, Erling Haaland was not his typical self in the principal half against the Bavarians, with the Norwegian skying his punishment that might have settled the tie in the main half itself. Bayern had 58% of the ball and seven shots on goal in the second leg, but City ultimately prevailed.
City struggled in the first leg of the semifinal on Tuesday when Real upped the ante after scoring against the run of play. City’s night was perfectly summed up by the relief on Kevin De Bruyne’s face after scoring a thunderbolt against Madrid.
The 14-time champions have established a foundation with these two games. City has consistently failed when confronted with chaos, whereas Real has a track record of success in chaos. Furthermore, for Real Madrid to advance to the Champions League final for the second time in a row, the situation must escalate against the English champions.
Conclusion
In order to defeat Manchester City in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal matchup, Real Madrid needs to accomplish three things. Firstly, they should start Aurelien Tchouameni at defensive midfield, as he has the ability to disrupt City’s rhythm in the middle of the park. Secondly, Real Madrid should put more emphasis on flank play rather than center-based assault, utilizing the speed of wingers Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo. Finally, Real Madrid needs to make the game as exciting as possible, playing at a high tempo to throw City off their game, as they have struggled in the past against teams playing at a high rhythm. Despite the challenging task, Real Madrid cannot be discounted, and they have a track record of success in chaotic situations, which may give them an edge in the second leg.
