2023-05-10 00:01:47
Far from the madness of last year’s semi-finals between these same two teams (4-3; 1-3 aet), the 2023 first leg between Real Madrid and Manchester City ended in a logical draw (1 -1) on the lawn of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Dominating the ball, the English stumbled for a long time on the always surgical Spaniards before equalizing. But everything will be decided next Wednesday, May 17, at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
The match: City learned the lesson
It will therefore be necessary for one of the two teams to manage to raise their voices, in a week, to reach the grand European final. Because neither the Madrid defending champion nor the Manchester City monster really impressed on Tuesday evening during a somewhat frozen round. First well established in the Madrid camp, the British team drew in the last gesture (8th, 13th, 15th, 16th) against a vigilant Thibaut Courtois. It was enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real to show its legendary efficiency.
But the opening of the score of Vinicius Junior (36th) did not allow the people of Madrid to let go completely. As if the fear of conceding a goal took over. Neither too offensive nor too defensive, Karim Benzema’s teammates ended up paying for it. Kevin De Bruyne (67th), with a heavy strike in turn, equalized at the entrance to the surface.
With only three shots on target, including a magnificent header from Benzema (78th) and another big shot from Tchouaméni (90th), Real then did not weigh enough to hope to win. As for City and their cyborg Erling Haaland, they preferred to control this draw than risk everything. Last year’s lesson has been learned.
Player: Vinicius Junior
The Real Madrid “gladiator” has struck again. As in the final last year against Liverpool (1-0), the 22-year-old Brazilian was the only scorer in this semi-final first leg. An achievement, his 23rd of the season, the 7th in the Champions League, which allowed Madrid to open the scoring. A heavy strike from outside the area (36th), which concluded a counter-attack led by the Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga, left side.
And which once again demonstrates the crazy progress of “Vini Jr” in recent months. The man who is worth 120 million euros according to Transfermarkt caused huge worries for the Skyblues defense all evening. And only needed a shot on target to find the fault.
The number: 5
Fifth straight match without an away win for Manchester City in the Champions League, which has only one success away from the Etihad Stadium this season (September 6 in Seville). Pep Guardiola’s men failed to win in Copenhagen (0-0), Dortmund (0-0), Leipzig (1-1), Munich (1-1) and, therefore, Madrid (1- 1).
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