
On Tuesday, Real Madrid traveled to Etihad Stadium in England to face Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League Semi Final. Many people predicted Manchester City would win this game, including myself. They were the better team and always dominate. Real Madrid were the first real team they faced in their road to the final. Their ties in their group and against Sporting CP and Atlético Madrid were no real challenge. Regardless, I still predicted the score to be 2-0.
Pep had to make a few changes to his Manchester City side for today’s match. Walker and Cancelo were both out due to foul trouble, leaving City’s defense vulnerable. John Stones was also still nursing an injury but started the game nonetheless. He also started Gabriel Jesus up top who was coming off a 4 goal performance against Watford. City played their 4-3-3 formation once again.
Starting XI: Ederson, Stones, Zinchenko, Dias, Laporte, Rodri, Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus
Ancelotti started nearly the same team as he did against Chelsea, opting to place Valverde in midfield and benching Casemiro. They also played a 4-3-3 formation.
Starting XI: Courtois, Carvajal, Mendy, Militão, Alaba, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, Benzema
The game started with intense energy as City pushed forward and began the attack. Two minutes into the game, Mahrez found the ball out wide and drove in. He lifted a cross towards the center of the box and Kevin De Bruyne met it with his head, finding the bottom left corner of the net. It was the fastest goal in UCL semi final history. 1-0 Man City

Madrid were already on the backfoot and needed to wake up fast. City were going for Madrid’s throats. In the 11th minute, Foden drove down the sideline against Militão before cutting back and finding De Bruyne at the top of the box. De Bruyne played a ball to Gabriel Jesus at the top of the 6-yard box. A poor touch and luckily receiving a deflection off a lazy Alaba allowed Jesus to have a wide open shot on Courtois. He scored and City were off to the races. 2-0 Man City

Real Madrid were completely asleep at this point. Their midfield and center backs were dearly missing the strong Casemiro. With no physical presence in midfield and no true 6, Manchester City were easily able to take apart Madrid’s midfield and dominate. Chance after chance came for City, but they couldn’t score. It should have been 4-0 at this point, but the front 3 were making simple mistakes.
In the 26th minute, Madrid’s back line continued to make whimsical mistakes. City got around them like it was a playground game. Alaba and Mendy failed to win a 50/50 ball from Kevin De Bruyne as he skirted past them before finding Mahrez out wide. Mahrez took it upon himself to take the shot and hit the side netting. Pep yelled in outrage. On the far side, Foden was wide open for an easy tap-in. It should have been another easy goal right then and there, but City were shooting themselves in the foot.
Again, City picked apart Madrid’s defense in the 29th minute, finding Foden in the box after a series of one-touch passes. Foden’s shot barely missed the goal, going just wide of the far post.
Madrid finally got their footing in the 33rd minute. Just when everyone thought they were out, Mendy whipped in a cross that the Frenchman Benzema found in the air, volleying it home. Benzema once again proved why he’s one of the best center forwards in the world. It was his 13th goal in his 2021-2022 UCL campaign, overtaking Lewandowski as the top scorer. 2-1 Man City

Shortly after, John Stones had to be subbed off due to an injury. Fernandinho came on for him, but City’s back line was weak. The only starter remaining was Ruben Dias. The game was starting to work in Madrid’s favor.
Fernandinho made his presence known immediately. Playing like his teammate Kyle Walker, he got high up the pitch and made darting runs. His hard work paid off in the second half when he intercepted a ball from Mendy to Vinicius, made an overlapping run off Mahrez, and crossed in the ball to the waiting Phil Foden. Coming right to his head, Foden had to do no work to direct his header. 3-1 Man City

Fernandinho’s interception wouldn’t work again. The same ball was played and Fernandinho bit, but Vinicius was ready. He faked out Fernandinho, and Mendy’s pass nutmegged him. Vinicius was off to the races, and no one could stop him. He dribbled the ball all the way to the goal and shot it past Courtois. Man City found their lead cut in half once again, 3-2 Man City
City kept finding success by playing quick one to two touch passes. Madrid was not fast enough to keep up. Zinchenko was able to play a ball into Laporte’s feet and he volleyed the ball to Courtois’s hands. Their next goal was close.
In the 70th minute, Camavinga came on for Rodrygo out wide for Real Madrid. 3 minutes later, Zinchenko received the ball again out wide and attacked Madrid’s back line. Just outside the box, Kroos fouled him, but the referee played advantage as Bernardo Silva picked up the ball. All Courtois could do was watch as Silva picked out the top corner. 4-2 Man City

Madrid was back asleep again. It was all up to City to extend their lead. Real’s back line were like figurines as Mahrez dribbled through four of them, got to the touchline, and barely missed the far left corner.
Modric finally got Madrid back in the game as he received a ball from Vinicius in the middle. In a flash of skill, he made Rodri fall, but his left-footed ground shot went wide. That was his last play of the match as he was subbed a minute later in the 79th minute with Dani Ceballos coming on for him.
Real Madrid had a set piece in the 80th minute. Kross crossed it in, and Laporte hit it with his hand. Penalty. Benzema stepped up to take the penalty. He had missed two penalties last weekend, but his team still trusted their captain. Benzema cockily hit a Panenka, or a chip straight down the middle, despite the lasers pointed at him. He scored, and Madrid were back in it. 4-3 Man City
City’s next chance came off a cross from substitute Raheem Sterling. It missed several Real Madrid defenders and almost came to Ruben Dias’ foot. He couldn’t get it as Courtois deflected it for a corner. Madrid were able to clear the corner.
Ancelotti brought on Marco Asensio for Vincius Junior, hoping to score one more goal. Asensio couldn’t make an impact. The last action of the game was a booking for Nacho on a late challenge against Mahrez.
City proved they were both the favorites to win the Champions League, but also their worst enemies. They had the chance to pull this game away but couldn’t finish. Manchester City will travel to Madrid to face Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday May 4th.
Here are the stats:
2’ Goal – De Bruyne
11’ Goal – Jesus
33’ Goal – Benzema
36’ Substitution – Fernandinho for Stones
45’ Substitution – Nacho for Alaba
53’ Goal – Foden
55’ Goal – Vinicius Junior
70’ Substitution – Camavinga for Rodrygo
74’ Goal – Bernardo Silva
79’ Substitution – Ceballos for Modric
81’ Yellow Card – Fernandinho
82’ Goal – Benzema (P)
83’ Substitution – Sterling for Jesus
88’ Substitution – Asensio for Vinicius Junior
90+3’ Yellow Card – Nacho
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