Another footballing spectacle between Real Madrid and Manchester City is not out of the question. Even if Pep Guardiola doesn't put much stock in a progression. Just a trick?
18.02.2025, 16:00
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Man City must overturn a 3-2 deficit from the first leg of the Champions League tie in Madrid if they are to progress to the last 16.
- City coach Pep Guardiola speaks of a "minimal" chance against Real, but emphasizes his team's fighting spirit. "As long as there is a chance, we will try."
- The Bernabéu will decide who advances on Wednesday at 9 p.m. blue Sport will broadcast the game live.
Pep Guardiola has devised a special motivational strategy for the all-or-nothing duel with Real Madrid. "One percent" is the chance of prevailing with Manchester City in the clash of football giants at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, said star coach Guardiola.
Arms folded and with a slightly fatalistic smile, the Spaniard, who has played in so many memorable duels with the Whites, added: "It's minimal, but as long as there's a chance, we'll try."
From 9 p.m. on Wednesday (live on blue Sport), Real and legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti and the Cityzens will be looking to avoid elimination from the Champions League play-off round and reach the last 16. The first leg ended 3:2 for Real, including the drama that almost always accompanies these matches - Manchester still led until the 85th minute.
What role does Wirtz play?
Defending champions Real have won the Champions League nine times alone, the national champions' cup a further six times and the Spanish championship 36 times. Manchester City became an institution on the island under Guardiola, winning the Premier League six times in a row and becoming Champions League winners in 2023. In the past twelve years, the club has always reached the knockout phase.
According to British reports, Manchester have now joined Real in the bidding for the exceptional German footballer Florian Wirtz. The professional from German champions Bayer Leverkusen is said to have been chosen by the British as the ideal successor to Belgian Kevin De Bruyne.
It's not about the title
When Real Madrid and Manchester City play against each other this time, many things will be different in the summit meeting of the world stars around Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and Manchester City's Erling Haaland. It is not yet about the title, not about honor and glory, after one of the two teams has reached the final seven times in the past nine years.
It's about saving the day after a group stage that didn't go as planned or hoped and missing out on a direct place in the round of 16. In the league, Real lost the lead in the table to arch-rivals FC Barcelona after a 1:1 draw at CA Osasuna just before the crucial match, and there was also a row over the red card for Jude Bellingham.
Former Eintracht star provides initial spark?
The visitors from England, on the other hand, arrive with a winning record: 4:0 against Newcastle United with a hat-trick from Omar Marmoush. The omens for another spectacle could hardly be better.
Two coaches who have experienced practically everything, two teams who have actually won everything before and have already fought more than one epic duel and have to face each other for the fourth time in four years. Real won once in extra time (2022) and once on penalties (2024). In between, they were dismantled 4-0 by the hosts in Manchester (2023).
These are two teams that are more or less far removed from the form of those years, but will now meet again in one of the continent's most legendary football temples. "I'm sure the Bernabéu will be at its best," said Bellingham. "We have to show the fans what they deserve." However, Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois warned: "We shouldn't think we're already in the next round." Because there is that one percent.
