The final for the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League season is getting close as we are left with the last 4 teams of the competition. Its 14-time champio
The final for the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League season is getting close as we are left with the last 4 teams of the competition. Its 14-time champions Real Madrid versus 2020/2021 finalist, Manchester City.
As Real Madrid goes in search of defending their UEFA Champions League crown, a semi-final draw against Manchester City perhaps poses the biggest threat yet to their status as champions. These two European behemoths met in identical circumstances at the semi-final stage last season, and while it was Madrid who came out on top then, the Spaniards’ indifferent form across their last four games in all competitions with 2 wins and draws makes them hard to predict.
La Casa Blanca ought to be confident after lifting the Copa del Rey on Saturday thanks to a 2-1 victory over Osasuna, their third trophy won already this term after the European Super Cup and Club World Cup earlier in the season. Adding a 15th UEFA Champions League Cup is now the ultimate goal, and they look well placed to inch one step closer to doing so if they can further improve an already impressive record of winning 13 of their last 16 European home games.
However, with Manchester City, this season has a ‘now or never’ feel to it in their seemingly never-ending quest for a maiden UEFA Champions League title, and with a free-scoring Erling Haaland in tow, this does appears to be City’s best chance to date. They managed to win without his goals on Saturday, though it wasn’t their best performance of the season as they edged past Leeds 2-1 in Premier League action to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Focus will quickly switch back to Europe, but having been dumped out of the UCL by Real Madrid in two of their last three semi-final appearances, there are yet psychological obstacles to overcome. Those same obstacles stand for boss Pep Guardiola too who, despite winning the UCL twice as a manager, has interestingly seen the side he’s in charge of dumped out at the semi-finals in six of his last nine UCL semi-final conquests.
With the Citizens losing the services of Nathan Ake and Mendy, Madrid will also be with the services of Eder Militao and F. Mendy
By: Herosportgh/Solomon Duah (Sports Atom)
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