Carlo Ancelotti: Champions League campaign only a success if Real reach final
Carlo Ancelotti is pleased to have proved doubters wrong but will not regard Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign a success unless they reach the final.
Carlo Ancelotti Sport News
Man City let Real Madrid off the hook in 7-goal Champions League classic
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he had to reiterate to his players they had beaten Real Madrid 4-3 in a Champions League classic on Tuesday despite the disappointment of not killing off their semi-final tie at the Etihad.
Champions League: Manchester City Let Real Madrid Off The Hook In 7-Goal Classic
Pep Guardiola said he had to reiterate to his players they had beaten Real Madrid 4-3 in a Champions League classic on Tuesday despite the disappointment of not killing off their semi-final tie at the Etihad. Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were on target for Guardiola's men, who held a two-goal lead three times. But Karim Benzema's double and a brilliant individual effort from Vinicius Junior gave Madrid hope of another famous Champions League fightback at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 4.
"Los 4 podrían haber sido 8..."
Ancelotti tiene clara la receta para la vuelta. Lo repitió en varias ocasiones enl a rueda de prensa posterior a la ida. El equipo tiene que mejorar en defensa. «Es bastante simple. Con balón, muy bien. Sin balón tenemos que hacerlo mejor», decía el técnico de Reggiolo. No hay más. Y es que, por momentos, parecía que los blancos estaban cerca de perder el tren a la final. El City llegaba, incluso con el 2-0 en el marcador y el runrún de la grada era constante. Sin embargo, Ancelotti tiró de: Benzema y Vinicius. El sentir entre la prensa presente en el Etihad era que el equipo blanco había conseguido respirar cuando más apretaba la soga. Algo que se refrenda al echar un vistazo a las principales cabeceras inglesas horas después del thriller disputado.
Karim Benzema confident Real Madrid will reach Champions League final
Karim Benzema was in a confident mood after scoring a brace that helped keep Real Madrid alive in their Champions League last-four tie against Manchester City and the French striker predicted his team would now qualify for the final. Real trailed by two goals three times in the semi-final first leg at the Etihad stadium on Tuesday but fought back to lose by a solitary goal in a 4-3 thriller. "I warn our fans to be ready to see something magical, we will win the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu," Benzema told Movistar Plus. "Losing is never good and we care a lot about winning the Champions League this season. The thing is we never lowered our guard and kept fighting until the end."
Watch: Madrid’s Valverde pulls off unreal spinning backheel nutmeg
Federico Valverde showed his class and his calm in the maelstrom of Real Madrid’s 3-4 away loss to Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final first leg, pulling off an outrageous spinning backheel nutmeg in the second half.
Man City must 'raise their level' to beat Real Madrid and reach UCL final - Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will have to «raise their level» to reach a second successive Champions League final but refused to criticise his players after they missed a series of chances during the 4-3 win over Real Madrid.
Mesut Ozil insists Ballon d'Or winner has been crowned after Man City-Real Madrid thriller
Mesut Ozil believes Karim Benzema already has the Ballon d’Or award wrapped up following his latest heroics.