Champions League: Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid ready for Man City clash, says ‘we all have to be at the best’
The Champions League quarterfinal is all set for kickoff as Real Madrid meet Manchester City over two legs starting next week. A tie that has become a premium show in the Champions League will see the two go head-to-head for the third consecutive season in the knockout stage. With both teams winning one tie each over the last two seasons, the upcoming quarterfinal will be interesting as Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti gears up with his side.
Carlo Ancelotti ready for Real Madrid vs Man City
“To beat [Manchester] City, we all have to be at the best possible level,” the former PSG and Bayer Munich coach told reporters.
Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 over the weekend thanks to a brace from Rodrygo at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunda (Mar 31) evening. With no La Liga action for Real next week, their next match will be against Manchester City in the first leg. The match will take place on Tuesday (April 9) in Madrid with the second leg taking place in Manchester. The team playing the second leg at home has gone on to progress whenever the two teams have met in the knockout stage.
Interestingly, whenever Manchester City and Real Madrid have met in the Champions League knockout stage, the winner has gone on to win the whole thing. Ancelotti will be aware of the aware of danger that City produce and must have kept a close eye on their opponent who were held to a goalless draw over the weekend in the Premier League.
City will have tough assignments over the next few days Real have the City tie to focus on for the next few days. Pep Guardiola’s men are currently third in the Premier League and are bidding for a fourth consecutive title. They will face Aston Villa in the midweek in a home match before traveling to South London to face Crystal Palace. Neither match will be easy for City as they focus on the Premier League title race.
Real Madrid to face English club again
Real also have a tough run-in as they take on Barcelona later in the month for a crucial match in the La Liga title race. A victory in the Champions League won’t make things easy as they will face either Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the semifinal. Interestingly, the knockout tie against Manchester City will be Real’s ninth against an English opposition in the last three years. During this period, they have lost only two ties – to Chelsea in the 2021 semifinal and Manchester City in the 2023 semifinal.
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