On Wednesday, May 4th, 2022 Real Madrid will play Manchester City from the historic and legendary Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in 2nd – leg of the Champions League semifinals. Manchester City defeated Real Madrid last week in the 1st – leg of these highly – contested and exciting Champion League semifinals with a final tally of 4 to 3.
Real Madrid came from behind at home in order to beat Paris Saint – Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, and Real Madrid managed to knock out the defending champions in Chelsea during the quarterfinals of this season’s Champions League competition.
Real Madrid now needs to fight hard to take down Manchester City in order to make it back to the Champions League finals for the 1st – time since they won their record 13th – European Cup title back in 2018. Real Madrid lost 4 to 3 in the 1st – leg of these Champions League semifinals in England after Real Madrid was down by 2 – goals on 3 – separate occasions.
“It’s going to be difficult, but it’s a great opportunity for us after winning the league title,” the head coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, stated. “There’s a really good vibe within the squad and we are capable of doing it.”
Spanish League Champions
The upcoming game versus Manchester City comes just 4 – days following Real Madrid’s celebration for winning the 2021 – 2022 Spanish LaLiga League championship title at the famous stadium. Real Madrid’s football club had not secured a title at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in approximately 15 – years. The 2020 league trophy just so happened to be won at an empty Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium at the team’s training facility due to the ongoing and deadly COVID – 19 pandemic.
The most significant celebrations at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium during this season happened during the club’s amazing run to this year’s Champions League semifinals.
The 1st – time was vs. Paris Saint – Germain, when Real Madrid looked defeated following them losing the 1st – leg of that contest with a final score of 1 to 0 as they conceded early on in the return match that was played in the Spanish capital city. The host side eventually rallied though with a 2nd – half spectacular and breath – taking hat trick by Real Madrid’s French superstar striker in Karim Benzema.
With another hat trick by Benzema, Real Madrid came out victorious during the 1st – leg versus Chelsea with a final tally of 3 to 1 in England, but Real Madrid trailed 3 to 0 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium prior to pulling off a shockingly amazing comeback during stoppage – time enabling them to make it all the way to the Champions League semifinals for the 10th – time over the course of the last 12 – football seasons.
Real Madrid was able to advance 5 to 4 on aggregate goals despite that 3 to 2 losing effort, which was just their 3rd loss at the famous Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in all 22 – home games throughout all competitions during this current season. The other times included a 2 to 1 setback versus the Moldovan club Sheriff during the group stage of the Champions League competition this year as well as the discouraging 4 to 0 ass – kicking Real Madrid suffered to their rival in Barcelona via the Spanish LaLiga League back in March of 2022.
Real Madrid has 15 – wins this season, 4 – draws, and 3 – defeats at that stadium, which remains under renovating construction efforts at the moment, but they welcomed the return of their loyal fans following Real Madrid playing their home matches last season at the much smaller Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.
Real Madrid has to once again fight back in order to reverse the damage already done during the 1st – leg defeat to Manchester City last week, but goal scoring has not been a problem for the dominant Spanish club this season. Their club which is led by the high – powered Karim Benzema has managed to score 22 – goals over the course of their past 8 – matches throughout all competitions. The last time Real Madrid was shutout was during the 4 to 0 loss to Barcelona during the Spanish LaLiga League contest back in March of 2022.
“We’ve done well in attack,” Ancelotti goes on to say. “We’ve been able to score a lot. We had three goals against PSG, five against Chelsea, and three against Manchester City. Sometimes you have to take more risks, and we have the quality to do it.”
Huge Coaching Decisions for Carlo Ancelotti
Coach Ancelotti will be unable to count on the strong defender for Real Madrid, David Alaba, on Wednesday, May 4th, 2022 due to a muscle injury that Alaba suffered during the 1st – half of the game that was played in Manchester last week.
Nacho Fernández is anticipated to replace the void that Alaba’s injury has caused Real Madrid, and Fernández is expected to play alongside Éder Militão. Neither Nacho or Militão played in Real Madrid’s league match last Saturday, April 30th, 2022 due to suspension that they were serving.
Eden Hazard as well as Gareth Bale are also not projected to play in Wednesday’s extremely important game, but other than that Ancelotti should have a full – strength football team available for him to manage. The only other question that remains is whether he will go with Rodrygo or Federico Valverde.
Rodrygo just so happened to score 2 – times during Real Madrid’s championship title – winning match last Saturday, and he would make Real Madrid’s team more offensively dangerous, whereas Valverde would be more beneficial working in the midfield.
Manchester City is attempting to make it to their 2nd – straight Champions League final after they lost in the Champions League finals to last season’s title – winning club in Chelsea.
Sources:
Azzoni, Tales. “Madrid hoping for another magical Champions League night”. The Associated Press. May 3, 2022.
The Associated Press News Services. “MATCHDAY: City leads Madrid 4 – 3 in Champions League semis”. The Associated Press. May 3, 2022.