Manchester City – Real Madrid

Real won’t be defeated in Manchester

On Wednesday, 17 April, all four Champions League semi-finalists will be decided. Manchester City are the clear favourites to take on Real Madrid, but the odds are slightly lower. The first game, under any circumstances, will go down in history. The teams scored six goals and played very bravely. Real showed that they have the resources to fight Manchester City. It is noteworthy that the "creamy" returned to the game after an obvious goalkeeping error by Andriy Lunin. Real did not break down after the third goal either. It is important that Madrid approached the key confrontation of the year almost in the optimal composition. Another secret of local success is the antidote for Erling Holand. Rüdiger literally eats away at a dangerous striker in defence. This was also the case in Madrid a year ago. Real played an economy-mode match against Mallorca at the weekend. It wasn't an easy game, but Ancelotti's team fulfilled two main objectives: taking three points and avoiding injuries. The club is already a de facto champion, given the calendar of remaining fixtures. Manchester City still retains a good chance to treble. The team is preparing for the return match in a great mood, as six rounds before the finish topped the APL. "Citizens" on Sunday received gifts from Arsenal and Liverpool. The championship race is now fully in the hands of Manchester City. Josep Guardiola has prioritised this week's Champions League game. The calendar was also lucky: the club defeated Luton in the Championship, utilising a serious squad rotation. In 2024, Manchester City forgot about defeats altogether. A curious paradox concerns Erling Holand. The Norwegian sharply reduced in performance, but the club, on the contrary, began to score even more. In the last ten meetings, Manchester City have scored 31 goals against their opponents. That is, the Citizens are scoring more than three goals per game. And this is at a crucial moment of the season. A significant bonus for City is the return of their main goalkeeper Ederson. The Brazilian will be available for the game against Real Madrid. Kyle Walker should also return. The Englishman is considered a key defender in the context of containing Vinicius. That means City will be even stronger than they were in Madrid. Bookmakers initially gave odds on Real above 5.00. This seems a bit reckless given Madrid's current form. It is doubtful that they will repeat the pattern of last season, when Real were defeated after a home draw. Back then, the club looked significantly weaker. The potential of the "creamy" was not fully revealed in the first game. For example, much more is expected from Jude Bellingham. Overtime in Manchester is also very likely.