Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League Semi Final knowing an away goal will be crucial after holding Real Madrid to a goalless draw at the Etihad.
Man City 0 v 0 Real Madrid.
Is that a great result or a missed opportunity?
Real Madrid arrived in freezing cold Manchester to compete in their 27th Champions League Semi Final. Zinedine Zidane’s side were on a five match winning running, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale banging in 18 goals in the process. Oh…I nearly forgot, they have won this competition 10-times, more than anyone else in history.
In stark contrast, City was making their first appearance in the last four of Europe’s premier club competition in nearly 48-years, and for the first time since the European Cup became the Champions League.
However, City is in fine form themselves. They are on a seven match unbeaten run (5 wins, 2 draws), and have also smashed 18 goals into the back of the net largely due to the form of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.
When you factor that Madrid have never lost to Man City, and have won the last three times they have played on British soil, you have to consider Madrid the favorites. Then you remember that Madrid have lost five of their last six Champions League Semi Finals and you think…maybe, just maybe.
Ronaldo Out; Toure Out
The big news before kick off was the omission of Cristiano Ronaldo. The on/off World Player of the Year walked towards the Real fans before kick off and gave them the thumbs down. The Portuguese star was missing through a thigh injury. It was only the third game he had missed since last February 2015.
Ronaldo wasn’t the only player missing because of a thigh strain. Man City’s ’sometimes’ midfield genius Yaya Toure was also missing after injuring his thigh in the 4-0 win against Stoke. Toure. Ronaldo. I know which one I would miss the most.
It was an opportunity for City to continue their growth as a club. It wasn’t that long ago that they were a joke. Then came the money. Then came the FA Cup. Then came two Premier league titles. If Barcelona hadn’t been in their way, maybe they would have reached this stage of the Champions League earlier?
Both sides won their respective groups; Real not losing a game. The Spanish giants swept aside Roma 4-0 on aggregate in the Round of 16. Man City beat Dynamo Kyiv 3-1.
We nearly lost Madrid in the quarterfinals after they lost their first Champions League game of the season by two goals to nil at Wolfsburg. Real’s talisman Ronaldo scoring three times at the Bernabeu to set up the tie with City courtesy of a 3-0 win. Man, how they will miss him tonight.
City overcame a PSG side that looked ready to be torn down. A scrappy 2-2 draw in Paris doing the damage. They nicked it with a single goal at home.
The Action
The atmosphere was electric as the sounds of Blue Moon invaded eardrums all over the world. The action was fast, frenetic, and furious, but there was no happy ending in sight.
The only noteworthy incident of the first half was an injury to David Silva after a foul on Gareth Bale saw the Spaniard leave the pitch to be replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho.
The first save of any note came in the 54th minute. Sergio Ramos connecting with a Real corner eight yards out only for his header to end up safely in the hands of Joe Hart.
Another corner in the 71st minute created the best chance of the match after Jese connected with a cross from Lucas Vasquez only for his header to bounce off the Man City crossbar and go out for a goal kick.
Real dominated from that point onward. City looked nervous not wanting to concede that precious away goal. Then in the 82nd minute Madrid nearly pinched it. Once again it was a corner. This time Pepe chesting the ball down and smashing the ball goalward from six yards only to be foiled by a Schmeichelesque save by the brilliant Joe Hart.
So the game ended goalless.
Is that a great result or a missed opportunity?
On one hand it has to be a great result. Not many teams can stop Madrid from scoring, and we know City have problems at the back. Not conceding the away goal will give them a wonderful opportunity in the Bernabeu because we all know City have what it takes to score.
On the other hand, Ronaldo will no doubt be back for the return leg, and Benzema can’t play as badly as he did tonight. With one of the greatest footballers of all time missing, and another of Madrid’s goal machines misfiring perhaps they will be ruing a missed opportunity?
The second leg takes place at the Bernabeu Wednesday, May 4.
