Manchester City vs Real Madrid
UEFA Champions League
Semi-Final
2nd leg
Wednesday
17th May 2023
Etihad Stadium
Carlo Ancelotti is confident that Real Madrid will reach the Champions League final on Wednesday. Still, the Italian has concerns: Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland are two of them.
Ancelotti see two obstacles in the run-up
Real Madrid and Manchester City held each other to a 1-1 draw last week and meet again on Wednesday. “I think it can be better than in the first leg. When we look back at the game, I see that we can improve and we will try to do that,” said Ancelotti.
He added, “I am very calm, enthusiastic and confident. I know the good feeling, but I will also have lesser feelings: that Haaland is going to score, that De Bruyne is going to score a goal from outside the penalty area… I will have to focus on Vinicius’ dribble and Karim Benzema’s scoring. It’s not easy to get here, but we’re going to enjoy it.”
Ancelotti can win the Champions League for the third time with Real Madrid. He already succeeded in 2014 and 2022. “This is my fourth year at this club and I enjoy it every day. This year we are very close to achieving something important. We are motivated, but keep in mind that it is very difficult. The difficulties help us to get better,” the Italian concluded.
“When I signed, the assignment was not: win the Champions League”
Manchester City can reach the final of the Champions League on Wednesday at the expense of Real Madrid. Manager Pep Guardiola has won the Champions League with Barcelona twice: in 2009 and 2011. With his current club Manchester City, he has not yet succeeded. “I have often stood here,” says the Spaniard at the press talk. “My legacy is already exceptional. I told the players to enjoy the moment, we are incredibly lucky to be here.”
“We have it in our own hands and so it depends on us. We only need to win one match to reach the final. I have a very good feeling about it,” said Guardiola. “When I signed seven years ago, the assignment was not to win the Champions League. I was told to do the best I could. Although we can’t deny that we won all the prizes, except this one.”
From 2018 to 2020, things always went wrong in the quarter-finals, the final of 2021 was lost to Chelsea and last year Real Madrid was too strong in the semi-finals. There seems to be a Champions League curse on Manchester City, but Guardiola does not want that. “It’s another chance to achieve it. People say we are close, I think we are far from it. No one can guarantee that we will ever be here again. So once we’re there, we have to give everything,” he concluded.
The winner of the encounter between Manchester City and Real Madrid will play in the final against Internazionale.
