The two best teams in the world will define their place in the Champions League final in England next Wednesday. Real Madrid and Manchester City drew their first leg of the semifinals 1-1 and left everything open for the definition next week. Madrid started winning with a right-footed shot from outside the Brazilian’s area Vinicius 35 minutes into the first half and City tied it at 21 minutes into the second stage with another right hand from the Belgian Kevin DeBruyne, also from outside the area.
The team led by Pep Guardiola could not repeat their good initial quarter of an hour in the first half. With control of the ball and the field and after Madrid’s decision not to discuss possession of the ball and to wait with seven men on the edge of the big area, City exerted clear dominance that did not materialize due to two notable saves by goalkeeper Thierry Courtois before two shots from DeBruyne and Rodrigo. Real Madrid reduced its defensive task to individual duels Rudiger with Haaland, Camavinga with Bernardo Silva and Carvajal with Grealish who generally won and bet to get out quickly from the sides through the runs of the Brazilians Rodrygo and Vincius. From one of them came the first goal of the night at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
The possession of the ball was overwhelmingly favorable to City in the first half (68 to 32). But this did not result in obvious superiority. It’s more: As the game progressed, the English were deflating and it even gave the impression in the second stage that Madrid, already in greater control of the game, was closer to the second goal than City to the tie. However, At the most unexpected moment, Camavinga missed a pass inside that Rodri intercepted and De Bruyne scored the tie.
True to his habit of moving his starting formation very little, Guardiola made no changes and gave the feeling towards the end that the 1-1 closed him from all sides. Devoured by the firm advances of the German Rudiger, Haaland almost never had the ball in front of the goal to assert his role as a scorer. Madrid could have taken the biggest prize after 44 minutes of the second half, when the Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson swiped a bomb from the French Tchouameni to the corner.
“I think we played a good game. We knew how they played, that they were going to have possession, but they didn’t create much, we had more chances. It’s a shame the goal they scored against us, but we’re going there to give it our all. It’s an open result, we knew it wasn’t going to end here. The tie is still 50-50.” declared Luka Modric after the draw.
For his part, Pep Guardiola admitted that “when we were better, they scored against us. It seemed like last year at times. The opinion I had of Madrid remains the same, and the tie will be decided in Manchester, it will be a terribly tough game.” said the Spanish coach of City.