Journalist Fabio Licari analysed the thrilling Champions League quarter-final clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, explaining why ‘the story is a little different’ than expected.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid hosted Pep Guardiola’s Treble holders in an electric European encounter at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The English side took an immediately 1-0 lead before Los Blancos turned things around to go 2-1 up by 14 minutes. A thrilling second half saw the match end 3-3.
In the other Champions League match of the night, Arsenal took an early 1-0 lead over Bayern Munich but only held the advantage for six minutes before the Bavarians equalised. A Harry Kane penalty in the 32nd minute threatened to spoil the part, but Leandro Trossard responded later on to make it 2-2.
The exciting nature of the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City led some onlookers, including Alessandro Del Piero, to name it as one of the best matches in the competition’s recent history.
Real Madrid – Man City analysis
Writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, journalist Licari analysed Real Madrid’s draw with Manchester City.
“Real Madrid-City is an infinite emotion, a swing of results, a university summary of football theories contained in a 90-minute lesson. Without the two greats being able to overcome each other in what could be a final but is simply a first leg.
“City chew moves and balls, occupy spaces militarily, attack with everyone except the goalkeeper to exploit the famous five attacking ‘channels’, and do so by deploying attackers and not full-backs on the outside.
“Inevitably, however, they must accept the risk of finding themselves against the team that they know are most lethal in the eyes of the needle that are offered to them. Real strike on the counter, it’s the usual infinite Real of Carletto who seem knocked out and rise again as if the energies flowed from their history.
“Modric’s final 20 minutes – who unfortunately for football no longer lasts an entire match – rebalance Guardiola’s superpower to command, although the absences of De Bruyne (unwell) and Haaland (unwell) are not easily replaceable.
“The memory of the last Champions League, with the draw at the Bernabeu and then the City tornado in the return leg, leads us to give the English more chances.
“But the impression is that the story is a little different and Haaland, the one seen last night of course, is less devastating than in the past. This year Real Madrid have only lost two matches, both against Atletico, and the emotional aspect of the derby must have played a cruel joke.
“Even between Arsenal and Bayern, it was a fun draw that leaves you breathless waiting for the next episode. Without a doubt, whoever prevails in the big match at the Etihad will be the candidate for success in the cross-semifinal, seen last night, Arsenal and Bayern have something less.
“This is the complicated part of the scoreboard, in the other which debuts tonight, PSG-Barcelona will compete with the resigned Mbappé and to retrace their steps.
“The other challenge, Atletico-Borussia, on paper the least fascinating, is that of regrets for Inter and for an Italy which, after the wonders of last year, finds itself looking at the beauty of others from afar.
“However, the points that the English and Germans took away from each other yesterday allow us to think more and more about a 24-25 Champions League with five Italian teams.”