Mueez Ajao
– A year ago Manchester City suffered one of the most heartbreaking European defeats in their history against Real Madrid – but now they have the chance of revenge.
– For the second season in a row City and Real have been drawn against each other in the Champions League semi-finals.
– Last year City went into the final minute of the second leg at the Bernabeu just needing to not concede two goals.
Also Read: Man City KO Bayern to reach 3rd consecutive semis
– Yet they conceded two goals in dramatic fashion.
– Having won a thrilling first leg 4-3 at Etihad Stadium, Riyad Mahrez gave City a 5-3 aggregate lead.
– But substitute Rodrygo netted in the 90th and 91st minutes, with Real’s first two shots on target.
– Karim Benzema then scored an extra-time winner from the penalty spot to seal a stunning 6-5 aggregate triumph – and Carlo Ancelotti’s side went on to beat Liverpool in the final.
– But is there is a real feeling things could be different this year after City’s 4-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich to reach a third semi-final in a row – especially with 48-goal striker Erling Haaland in their ranks.
– “I had a feeling we would see them,” said City boss Pep Guardiola, who once managed Real’s arch-rivals Barcelona.
– “All clubs know if you want to win the Champions League you need to beat Real Madrid.”
– Real have won 14 European Cups, twice as many as anybody else – including five of the past nine.
– “Hopefully yes!” said City midfielder Bernardo Silva when asked about the chance of exacting revenge against the holders on 9 and 17 May, with the second leg at home.
– “We will go for it definitely. We always go for it, but we feel the team is very, very confident at the minute. I think we are going through.”
– City, second in the Premier League table and in the FA Cup semi-finals on the back of an unbeaten 15-match run, are chasing a trophy Treble.
– And Silva said: “We struggled until February because we couldn’t get in that usual run we had before of winning 10-15 games in a row, but now we are very consistent, we feel we have a chance in every competition and we are going for them.
– “We are at that point of the season where, if you drop your performance in one game you are out of a competition. It is going to be tough but we are going to work very hard to bring some titles home.”
– Norwegian striker Haaland – who also sent a first-half penalty over the bar – netted his 48th goal of the season against Bayern to give them the lead on the night, before Joshua Kimmich’s penalty made it 1-1 and 4-1 to City on aggregate.
– “Erling is a special player, a different player to what we had in the past,” added Portugal midfielder Silva.
– “He doesn’t need many touches. He is like a shadow for 85 minutes and touches the ball once and it is a goal. When we have that special player in attack it makes us feel more comfortable at the back.”
