SUMMARY
- Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals after beating a defiant Manchester City in their own backyard.
- However, a City star player has taken a dig at Madrid's tactics after the game.
Manchester City took on Real Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2023-24 in their own backyard. After the 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu, the two teams faced off to determine who would progress to the semi-finals at the Etihad. Just like their first clash, the second one was also highly entertaining and the initial 90 minutes ended with both teams scoring 1 goal each.
Rodrygo (12′) opened the scoring for Madrid with a brilliant counterattack set up by Jude Bellingham. But, then the Pep Guardiola-led team started playing their traditional high-pressing soccer which forced Madrid to defend for the majority of the game. During the match, City registered 33 shots on Real’s goal and only 9 of them were on target. However, Kevin De Bruyne (76′) managed to equalize for City and took the game to extra-time.
The one and only, @AndreyLunin13. pic.twitter.com/KJZpHDNQYZ
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 17, 2024
Even then Real Madrid kept a solid defense with some rare counterattacks in between. Before the penalties, Real had 8 attempts on City’s goal with only 3 shots on target. However, Madrid had a nightmare start to their tie-breaker as Luka Modric missed the first penalty kick. But, Madrid’s third-choice keeper, Andriy Lunin, emerged as the hero for them as he saved Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic’s penalties to send the Spanish team through to the semis.
Rodri breaks silence after Manchester City’s quarte-final loss
Manchester City had a dream 2022-23 season when the team lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League to complete the much-coveted treble. After their run this season, many thought the club would do the same once again and become the only English club to have two trebles under its name. However, that dream was crushed by Real Madrid on April 17, 2024.
After the loss, one of City’s best players, Rodri, had an interesting take on the game. Throughout the game, City had 68% possession with 91% pass accuracy. They also completed 920 passes during the match and had a dominant performance. However, as has been the case with City, they have struggled against teams with low blocks and Madrid used it to their fullest. But, it doesn’t seem like the Spaniard is pleased with that.
In a post-match press conference, Rodri added, “To be honest, today I only saw one team. Yeah, but in terms of defending, they defend and they knew how to suffer, and yeah, of course, we know how tough is Real Madrid. But in my opinion, we should go through.”
🎙️ Rodri: “To be honest, today I only saw one team.” 🧂
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) April 18, 2024
🎥 @HaytersTV pic.twitter.com/FzhDsCQhjR
While “going through” is not an option for Manchester City, they are still on track to win two trophies this season. They’re currently at the top of the Premier League with 73 points with Arsenal and Liverpool in second and third places respectively with 71 points each. With 6 games in hand, many consider City to be the favorite. Other than that, City will also face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals. They won the competition last year by beating Manchester United 2-1.
Former Liverpool player shares his thoughts on Real Madrid beating Man City
Former Liverpool player and soccer pundit Jamie Carragher also had his say on the matter after the Champions League game. After the quarter-final draw, Jamie picked Manchester City to beat Real Madrid. So what did he say after the failed prediction? He thought that City was still the “better team” even after crashing out of the competition.
He said, “Manchester City have been the better team than Real Madrid, but there’s something about Real Madrid in the Champions League… And the team that wins the Champions League is not necessarily the best team in Europe.” (h/t via Football Tweet)
🔥 We’ve reached the #UCL semi-finals for the 1️⃣7️⃣th time!#RealFootball pic.twitter.com/Zz1M2cberz
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 17, 2024
Real Madrid has won the UCL 14 times and is on track to face Bayern Munich in the semis. Munich defeated Arsenal 3-2 in the other quarter-final to reach the final 4. Whoever wins here, will be a big favorite to win the competition. Who do you think will win take the trophy home this season? Let us know in the comments below.