…Manchester City drew 3-3 with Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, with Spanish media reacting to the tactical battle between Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti
Manchester City fought back from difficult situations against a strong Real Madrid side in a raucous Santiago Bernabeu and crucially avoided defeat heading into next week’s Champions League second leg.
City boss Guardiola was handed a setback just hours before kick-off with Kevin De Bruyne falling ill and had to adapt. Mateo Kovacic filled De Bruyne’s position, and his stability allowed the likes of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden to flourish in attack.
City took an early lead and dominated much of the second half but were pegged back by a couple of deflected goals and a beautiful volley from Federico Valverde to make it 3-3.
After a barnstorming first leg, the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at how the Spanish media has reacted to the result.
Spanish football outlet SPORT wrote: “As it could not be otherwise, Pep Guardiola once again innovated concepts with his Manchester City in the intense draw against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu (3-3). The coach was forced to make changes after ruling out the presence of Kevin de Bruyne due to stomach problems, a new invention that demonstrates the tactical variability of a team that seems practically invincible.
“The absence of Kevin de Bruyne disrupted all of Guardiola’s plans in the hours before the crucial Champions League match. The Belgian star was not in a position to play the match against Real Madrid , a major setback that the Sampedor coach had to remedy with a new invention in his initial scheme.
“Manchester City is a changeable team like few others. The alternatives available to him, motivated in large part by the number of talented players he brings together in all lines of the field, allow Guardiola to disrupt his plans without the team losing its essence because of it.
“Guardiola’s invention at the Bernabeu was enough for Manchester City to get a creditable draw against Real Madrid. The second leg at the Etihad will be the verdict of a tie that has only just begun.”
Ancelotti tactical move surprised Guardiola
El Mundo wrote: “Strange sensations in the mixed zone of the Santiago Bernabéu . Real Madrid and Manchester City tied again on the way back at the Etihad Stadium and in the hallways of the stadium no one seemed entirely happy. Erling Haaland , with his head bowed and his face serious, passed in front of the journalists without moving his eyes even an inch from the horizon, far from the smiles that he had left last year. The Norwegian barely touched the ball, the result of overwhelming pressure from Rüdiger on him and from the rest of the Madrid players on his teammates. Man to man. “We had very rarely done it and it turned out well. We have recovered many balls,” Ancelotti admitted about one of the keys to the 3-3.
The Italian coach decided to change some things about his ideal eleven before Guardiola ‘s visit . He exchanged the positions of Rodrygo and Vinicius, heeled the ’11’ to the left and centered the ‘7’, defended in a 4-2-3-1 and chose Tchouaméni to accompany Rüdiger in the center of the defence. If we analyse only the first minute, it turned out horrible.
It took Tchouaméni 40 seconds to see the yellow card that leaves him out of the second leg and Bernardo Silva took just 60 seconds to beat Lunin to make it 0-1. The faces on the Madrid bench were a poem, but they did not change the game plan. The idea was clear and it worked: “We started badly, with a goal against, but the team has handled it well, stealing and looking for transitions. With the change of position between Rodrygo and Vinicius, I sought to maintain the good streak of Rodrygo, who played very well against Athletic, Vini really didn’t change anything about what he had to do,” Ancelotti explained. His decision surprised Guardiola.
City have the advantage
Marca wrote: “Real Madrid and Manchester City offered a wonderful game, worthy of the last two European champions. A show from another era between two extraordinary teams that ended up exhausted. After an imposing battle, from 0-1 to 2-1 and from there to 2-3, Fede Valverde hit a prodigious volley to resurrect Madrid from the seven European lives.
“City have the advantage, as they will decide a final in their stadium, and we already saw a year ago how Guardiola’s team spends their time in their stadium. Bravo to two admirable teams that gave a memorable duel, worthy of two great teams.”
Manchester Evening News
