“Real Madrid v Manchester City is a modern Clasico,” former Real Madrid coach Jorge Valdano said last Tuesday as he previewed the teams’ Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The game that followed did not disappoint. After this 3-3 draw in the Spanish capital last week, Madrid and City have shared 23 goals in their last five meetings. Many commentators described the game as a worthy final, and if anything, it exceeded expectations – again.
This season is the third time in a row that Madrid and City have met in the knockout stages of the European Premier League. In 2021-22, Madrid’s stunning comeback in the second semi-final at the Bernabeu propelled them to the final where Liverpool lost 1-0. Last season, City produced a dominant display at home, beating Carlo Ancelotti’s side 4-0 in the second leg before claiming their first Champions League title against Inter Milan.
The winners of the second leg in Manchester tonight (Wednesday) could well go on to lift the trophy once again – although a quarter-final against Arsenal or Bayern Munich, who also host their quarter-final in Bavaria tonight, must go forward negotiated first.
In a season where Madrid have already beaten Barcelona twice, and in the context of their eight-point lead over their Clasico rivals at the top of La Liga, this match with City is key to turning a good campaign into a spectacular one for Ancelotti. group.
Madrid have long held European success in high regard, perhaps sometimes to the detriment of domestic progress (for example, they have won the Copa del Rey, England’s equivalent of the FA Cup, only three times in the last 30 years. years). The story the club wants to tell about itself is about this more than anything else. On Saturday, Barcelona visit the Bernabeu in La Liga. It’s a big game — just not as big as the one scheduled for tonight at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium.
Go deeper
What it’s like to play at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu on a Champions League night
But Valdano’s point was not to completely downplay Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona, and in fact he believes the recent meetings with City have taken on more weight in part because of the familiar connections.
“Clasicos are built on competition and (City manager and former Barcelona player and coach Pep) Guardiola is Madridismo’s (Madrid fans’) favorite enemy,” he says. “It was enough to hear the reaction from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu last week, after the announcer announced his name over the PA system. He was whistled the most.
“But 10 years ago and five years ago we were all talking about Barcelona-Madrid. Now the importance of football is why we talk about Madrid-City as the best in the world.
“It’s very good, because history is being renewed. City is getting to know the glory, which is difficult without the previous context. The city is new and under economic influence. Madrid is new at any time. They can always adapt to get a ride.”
Guardiola receives a typically hostile reception at the Bernabeu (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Since Guardiola’s arrival in Manchester in the summer of 2016, the two teams have met a total of seven times (today’s game will be the eighth), with Madrid only winning once against City.
In terms of European Cup/Champions League titles, Madrid have 14 — the first of which was in 1956 — while City’s only success so far came last season. But these days Madrid have little doubt who their main rivals for success in Europe are.
“Certainly, in the last seven or eight years, Madrid and City were the two most successful teams,” said a source in the dressing room – who, like others quoted here, chose to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak.
“It’s true that City only won last year, but they came close to winning it more often.
Voices within Madrid’s coaching staff see things similarly: “You only have to look at the statistics to see that right now we are the two best teams in the Champions League,” said one such source.
Vicente del Bosque, another former Madrid coach and coach who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, agrees.
“I think both teams have dominated football in recent years and Madrid have maintained an incredible level,” says Del Bosque. “I remember 2022, with the 14th title and the comeback against City as the most spectacular.
Go deeper
Guardiola vs Ancelotti: A meeting between managers who have defined the way modern football is played
“City are one of the few teams who dominate Madrid with the ball, even though they have players to counter-attack. And Madrid look good without the ball and take advantage of turnovers, even though they have players to control possession.
“Now there is a discussion about the European Super League, I think it is better to play these games as knockouts.” I watch the sports aspect, not the economic aspect, and that makes it more fun and more competitive.
Madrid’s return to the Champions League in 2022 made for a spectacular sight (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“When I was a player, and also as a coach, the great opponent was Bayern Munich. The Netherlands, with Ajax, and Italy, with AC Milan, also had teams competing with us, but not so much anymore. Now the selection has opened.”
Madrid board sources agree that City are the team to beat. This is also because since the arrival of Ferran Soriano as CEO and Txiki Begiristain as sporting director (both, like Guardiola, formerly of Barcelona), City has grown as a club and earned the respect of Madrid, with whom they maintain a relationship of great admiration.
In this sense, Valdano dares to draw another parallel in how both teams are built centrally around one image.
“Both at Madrid and City, it is clear who is in charge,” he concludes.
“At Madrid it’s (club president) Florentino Perez. At City, everyone knows it and no one says it – but Guardiola won’t find he can work without a boss at any other club.”
Go deeper
Will Militao play? Is Bellingham’s form a concern? Madrid’s second match against City discussed
(Top photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
#modern #rivalry #Real #Madrid #Manchester #City #rivals #Clasico