Madrid will face Manchester City in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League
Madrid will face Manchester City in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. This marks the second time in succession that the teams will face each other in the tournament, with Madrid having won on both previous occasions. The first match saw Madrid win 1-0 in 2015/16 and the second was a 6-5 win on aggregate for Madrid after extra time last year. Madrid has reached the semi-finals for the third year in a row, while this is City’s third semi-final appearance in four years. However, City has only made it to the final once in 2021. Both clubs are the reigning champions of their respective countries.
The two clubs have met on four occasions, with Madrid winning three and City winning one. The two sides faced each other in the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League round of 16, which City won 4-2 on aggregate. In the first leg, Madrid led 1-0 before goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne turned the game around. Madrid’s captain, Sergio Ramos, was sent off four minutes from the end of the match.
City went on to win the second leg 2-1, with a goal from Jesus, securing their place in the quarter-finals.
Madrid has beaten City’s domestic rivals Liverpool and Chelsea in this season’s knockout rounds, while City defeated German clubs Leipzig and Bayern München to make it to the semi-finals.
Real Madrid has reached 32 European Cup semi-finals, with a record of 17 wins and 14 losses. Their most recent win came in the 2017/18 season when they defeated Liverpool 3-1 in the final. Meanwhile, City has only reached the semi-finals of the competition four times, with their only final appearance coming in 2021 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.
In last season's UEFA Champions League semi-final, the two teams produced a thrilling encounter. The first leg at the City of Manchester Stadium finished 4-3 to Pep Guardiola’s side, with goals from Kevin De Bruyne (2) and Gabriel Jesus (11) giving City an early lead. Karim Benzema halved Madrid's deficit before the break, but Phil Foden restored City's two-goal cushion.
Vinícius Júnior pulled one back for Madrid almost immediately, before Bernardo Silva's 74th-minute strike restored City’s two-goal lead. However, Benzema scored a penalty with eight minutes to go to take the game into extra time, and two late goals from Rodrygo secured Madrid's place in the final.
City won the delayed second leg in Manchester 2-1, with goals from Raheem Sterling and Jesus, securing their place in the quarter-finals. The two sides have also met in the 2015/16 semi-final, which Madrid won 1-0 on aggregate.
Real Madrid has won the UEFA Champions League 13 times, more than any other club in history. Meanwhile, Manchester City is looking to win the trophy for the first time. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the best teams in Europe.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0