The last two European champions beat each other at the Bernabéu, fell, endured, got up, and continued beating each other, in a continuation of the qualifying rounds of the last two years in which Real Madrid revived, exploring a wild version with which, In several sections, he was on the verge of knocking down Manchester City. But Guardiola’s team has gained a lot of strength and the quarterfinals travel to the Etihad next week with a draw. Like last year, but for Ancelotti’s team it is not so similar to last year. Although he let the moment slip away from him.
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Andriy Lunin, Dani Carvajal, Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Kroos (Modric, min. 71), Rodrygo (Brahim Diaz, min. 71), Camavinga, Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior (Joselu, min. 86)
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Stefan Ortega, Manuel Akanji, Gvardiol, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Foden (Julián Álvarez, min. 87) and Erling Braut Haaland
Goals 0-1 min. 2: Bernardo Silva. 1-1 min. 12: Rúben Dias (pp). 2-1 min. 14: Rodrygo. 2-2 min. 66: Foden. 2-3 min. 70: Gvardiol. 3-3 min. 78: Federico Valverde.
Referee François Letexier
Yellow cards Aurelien Tchouameni (min. 1), Manuel Akanji (min. 37), Dani Carvajal (min. 81) and Bernardo Silva (min. 88)
It was a match not to be blinked, nor to hardly take a breath, played at full speed, uncorked violently from the beginning. Since City took the center and aimed at Haaland’s head, watched by Rüdiger, a sticky sentinel, who won the first round of a crude hand-to-hand duel. The robbery led to a run by Vinicius, who stepped into the area and left it behind, too soon: no one had arrived. Then the ball flew to the other side. Grealish ran between Camavinga and Carvajal, until Tchouameni knocked him down. Bernardo Silva executed the foul mischievously, low and close to the nearest post, which Lunin did not reach. 40 seconds had passed between the kick-off and the foul. Until the goal, another 70. Boom.
A blink had passed and Madrid seemed back in the ICU, as if the match were an extension of last year’s shipwreck at the Etihad. A goal against and Tchouameni, starting as center back in place of Nacho, suspended for the return leg. The precipice Again.
But Real, refreshed by Bellingham, Camavinga and Valverde, now has a wild record, a rhythm with the aroma of a borderline comeback that unfolded in spasms and prevented Manchester City from lifting the suffocating trap that suffocated them last year and with which it deactivated rivals day by day in the Premier. Ancelotti pushed his troops into an unbridled assault after each recovery, with no room for harassment from the English. Madrid, elusive, struck again and again behind the back, with few intermediate steps. Direct, continuous blows that escaped City and caused the clash in their field.
Kiko Huesca (EFE)
Valverde and Vinicius immediately came close to equalizing in one of the attacks, and just ten minutes after Silva’s goal, Camavinga shot from outside the area, the ball touched Rúben Dias and went in.
Ancelotti’s eleven was the predictable one, but the Italian innovated with a 4-2-3-1, with Camavinga and Kroos at the base, Bellingham at the axis, Valverde on the right and Rodrygo on the left, always very close to Vinicius. on point. That Brazilian partnership tormented Akanji, who occupied the right back due to Walker’s injury. Vinicius threw Rodrygo into space, and the 11th, who has returned in time from another of his droughts for the big nights of the season, flew into the area, stopped, let Akanji pass, threw a tunnel at him and scored.
Madrid played in spurts. He opened the hatch, threatened Ortega Moreno, Ederson’s substitute, and retreated for air while Rodri and Stones tried to find ways in. In the middle, Camavinga and Kroos blinded them. On the outside, Valverde and Carvajal controlled Grealish and Mendy watched Silva. De Bruyne was not there, indisposed at the last minute, and Kovacic, his replacement, is not De Bruyne.
After what they suffered last year, Madrid dominated all records. That wait at times, some slower attacks and above all the vertigo. He played like hell, but he couldn’t finish off City, despite the succession of arrivals from Rodrygo and Vinicius, who wasted chances that they don’t let slip away on other nights.
Rock & roll doesn’t last forever, and when the band started to go out of tune, City, which had weathered the downpour, showed up again. Rodri conquered part of his space and began to find Foden between the lines, who had barely scared him. This year, the Englishman has found a new life in those interior areas, where he has become indecipherable and lethal. Also at the Bernabéu, where he broke through in front and tied.
When Madrid slowed down its wild march, City recovered with the ball and Gvardiol found another corner in Lunin’s goal to take the lead again. The final blow? Nah. More wood. Ancelotti brought in Brahim and Modric, and moved Vinicius to the left. That’s where the next response came, the penultimate wave. The Croatian opened up the Brazilian, who crossed a pass to the other side of the area, where Valverde tied it with a baseball batter’s shot. The last blow, after which Madrid and City ended up exhausted, but standing, ready for another spanking next Wednesday at the increasingly intimidating Etihad.
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