Real Madrid and Manchester City will play their second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, bringing the UEFA Champions League semifinals to a close.
If the second match is anything like the first, supporters can expect another gift from the soccer gods.
Last week, Manchester City won 4-3 in the first leg, but Karim Benzema’s brace puts Los Blancos solidly in the tie, with both teams needing defensive improvements.
Match preview
Karim Benzema’s confidence, boldness, and panache in converting a panenka penalty in the Champions League semi-finals mirrored his barnstorming season for the newly-crowned La Liga champions, who were obliged to their two star forwards at the Etihad in the first leg.
Real’s defense was also broken at will by the Citizens, who scored four goals on the night through Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side quickly dusted off their shooting boots to hit Espanyol for four goals without reply and confirm their La Liga title with four games to spare at the weekend, and a domestic and European double would certainly remind the footballing world of their long-standing continental dominance.
While Los Blancos came back from a one-goal deficit to knock Paris Saint-Germain out of the tournament in the last-16 stage this season, the capital club has never advanced to the final after losing the first leg of a semi-final, and history cannot repeat itself if a 14th European title is to be on the table.
It’s been less than a month since an English team won at the Bernabeu, though Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 victory was ultimately insignificant, and Real Madrid hasn’t failed to score in the Champions League at home since December 2018, a streak that is unlikely to end even against the most tenacious of City defenses.
Team News
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti took a risk by rushing David Alaba back for the first leg after his injury problems, and the Austrian was taken off at halftime at the Etihad, missing the title-clinching win over Espanyol along with Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, and Luka Jovic – the latter of whom has since returned.
Alaba has been called up to the team for the second leg, but is yet to practice. Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez will both return from domestic suspensions to create a powerful Blancos backline. Isco has also been forced to withdraw from the squad owing to illness.
Rodrygo will seek to preserve his spot in the final third after starting the first leg and scoring a brace against Espanyol. Benzema, Vinicius, Toni Kroos, and Ferland Mendy were all benched at the weekend with this match in mind.
In terms of Man City, Guardiola will warmly welcome Joao Cancelo back after his first-leg suspension, and Kyle Walker, despite his ankle injury, will travel with the squad.
Nathan Ake limped off with a knock in the win over Leeds and will need to be assessed, and John Stones is also out, so Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left side of the City defense could have another restless evening.
After being picked among the substitutes at Elland Road, De Bruyne, Silva, and Riyad Mahrez are all expected to return to the starting lineup, as Real’s adversary Gabriel Jesus prepares to lead the charge.
Possible Lineups
Real Madrid’s possible starting lineup: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Manchester City’s possible starting lineup: Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Jesus, Foden
Kick-Off Time
Date: Wednesday, May 4 | Time: 3 p.m. ET | TV and live stream: CBS and Paramount+
Prediction
Real Madrid 1-3 Manchester City (Man City win 6-5 on aggregate)
Man City’s greatest form of defense is to attack, especially with Benzema and Vinicius Junior capable of scoring goals out of nowhere for the Spanish champions.
While the arrival of Casemiro is a huge assist for the hosts – whose European nous cannot be questioned – Guardiola’s side might have easily made the net ripple on several more occasions at the Etihad, City can strike back a couple of times to advance to their second final in as many seasons.
