Real Madrid is a miracle in the Champions League. “Immortal”according to the Spanish daily AS, the centenary club wants to continue this breathless journey, Wednesday, May 4, during the Champions League semi-final return against Manchester City. Beaten by a goal in the first leg, a defeat or a draw would condemn the recent La Liga winners and send the Cityzens to the Stade de France. Their mission is therefore clear: you have to win.
To this end, Carlo Ancelotti can count on his striker Karim Benzema, at the top this season. Facing PSG, in an incandescent atmosphere as soon as the bus arrived, the people of Madrid had relied on the genius of the Frenchman, author of a hat-trick in 17 minutes which upset the scenario of an almost certain elimination after the opening of the Parisian score in the first period and the defeat (0-1) at the Parc des Princes.
Against Chelsea, in the quarter-finals, the French international first dazzled Stamford Bridge with a hat-trick in the first leg (3-1 victory). On the way back, while the casa blanca was on fire, ultra-dominated and trailing 0-3 ten minutes from the end, Benzema once again played a big role in a crazy turnaround, not to mention the classy gestures of Thibaut Courtois and Luka Modric. In overtime, “KB9” scored the goal that allowed his team to see the semi-final.
Warned, Manchester City has already seen the ability of Real Madrid to come back from nowhere, once again thanks to Karim Benzema. The Frenchman, who scored twice in the first leg against City, kept his club alive after a start to the match which complicated the task of his team. Trailing 2-0 after 11 minutes, Madrid showed resilience to come back from Manchester just one goal down. A small victory as they were dominated.
Man. City 4-3 Real Madrid
A Champions League classic!⏰⚽️0⃣2⃣ De Bruyne
⏰⚽️1⃣1⃣ Jesus
⏰⚽️3⃣3⃣ Benzema
⏰⚽️5⃣3⃣ Foden
⏰⚽️5⃣5⃣ Vinicius Junior
⏰⚽️7⃣4⃣ Bernardo Silva
⏰⚽️8⃣2⃣ Benzema #UCL pic.twitter.com/2WuHPvk1KK— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 28, 2022
Thus, for the time being, Real bends but never breaks. To go up the deficit of a goal, the people of Madrid will be able, on Wednesday, to count on their public again. From the arrival of the bus to the final whistle, the fans of the capital club, who have already experienced so many emotions at the Santiago-Bernabéu, will be behind their players. “Don’t Play with the King”, could we read on the tifo during the return match against Chelsea. Gathered at the Cybèle fountain on Saturday to celebrate Real’s 35th Spanish championship title, players and supporters once again want to commune together.
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Merengue resistance and success are also the club’s DNA. “The history of Real weighs a lot”reacted defensive midfielder Casemiro in AS after qualifying against Paris. Federico Valverde echoed those terms ahead of the first leg against Manchester City. Often back to the wall in the competition, the people of Madrid have been able to rely on their experience. In the starting 11 of the second leg against PSG, seven players had already won the Champions League against three Parisians.
On the benches, experience also speaks for Real Madrid with Carlo Ancelotti. The latter has just marked the history of technicians, becoming the first winning coach of the five major championships. Winner of the Champions League three times, he embodies the unsinkability of the White House, not seeming to panic even when everything is against his team. Opposite, Pep Guardiola, double winner of the C1, has been trying since 2016 to offer this title to Manchester City, in vain. Karim Benzema, he is chasing a fifth “big-eared cup” … and a first Ballon d’Or.