Real Madrid and Manchester City are preparing to take the field at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on Tuesday, May 9th, for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final matchup. The two teams have a long-standing history against each other, having faced off eight previous times with identical records of three wins, two draws, and three losses apiece.
Real Madrid, who are winners of 14 European titles, have tended to come out on top when matches have taken place at this stage of the competition. They eliminated Manchester City from the competition in 2015/2016, and then beat Pep Guardiola’s side at the same stage last season after extra time in a remarkable second leg.
Despite their dominance in Europe, City have not won a major UEFA trophy since the 1970 European Cup Winners’ Cup. They did, however, reach the UEFA Champions League final in 2021 but lost 1-0 to Chelsea in Porto. Guardiola’s side will be hoping that the arrival of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland will give them an advantage over Real Madrid. Haaland has proven he can score against Spanish teams, having scored twice in each of his three meetings against Sevilla, two with Dortmund and one with City during this year’s competition.
As far as form is concerned, Real Madrid has won three out of their last six matches, most recently defeating Osasuna 2-0 over the weekend in the Spanish Cup final. Manchester City has won five of their last six matches, but they come into the semi-final without suspended defender Éder Militão.
Both coaches are optimistic about their chances in the upcoming match. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that while Manchester City may seem unstoppable, his team will have their chances and can compete. On the other hand, Guardiola’s side will be looking for redemption after their loss to Real Madrid last season. He believes his team is playing well and they come into this match with great encouragement.
Overall, this first-leg matchup at Santiago Bernabéu is shaping up to be a thrilling showdown between two heavyweights of European football. The two teams will go head-to-head with the ultimate prize on the line. This season’s UEFA Champions League final will be held in Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, where the winners will gain a place in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition. Real Madrid or Manchester City will be the designated home team in the final against AC Milan or Inter Milan.
