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Real Madrid’s prior matches against Manchester City have not been very fruitful for the club in terms of their fortunes. With a total of 10 matches played, Madrid has emerged triumphant in three of those encounters, while Manchester City has won four of those matches vs Madrid. Every single one of the last three matches ended in a tie.
Notable is the fact that Manchester City, a strong power in the Premier League, has won two of their previous four matches against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. This is a noteworthy accomplishment.
During those instances, City played very well, scoring four goals in each of their victories. With this glaring statistic, City’s dominance over the Spanish giants is brought into sharper focus, and now, for the third year in a row, these two football powerhouses find themselves competing against one other in the Champions League.
Carlo Ancelotti may need to make certain tactical alterations in order to boost Madrid’s chances of winning the match against their English counterpart. This is clear when one considers Madrid’s prior troubles against their English counterpart.
As we continue to investigate the many possibilities for change, it is becoming quite evident that Real Madrid will have a difficult time surpassing Manchester City. For the squad to have any chance of turning around their fortunes against the English side, it is quite probable that they will need to modify both their plan and their attitude.
The question: Should there be a military or not?
The recent involvement of Eder Militao in an internal practice match is a great indication for the squad, since it indicates that he is moving closer to being totally healthy.
Nevertheless, it is one thing to be physically fit enough to be considered for selection, and it is another task to achieve the degree of physical fitness that is required to achieve success in a competitive match.
Militao, who suffered an injury in August of last year, will need more than just drive in order to make his return after being off for over nine months for the injury.
As of right now, Real Madrid has been able to get by with using temporary center backs, such as Aurelien Tchouameni and even Dani Carvajal, in addition to Antonio Rudiger.
Then there is Nacho, who could have a difficult time competing against the tactical expertise of Manchester City.
As a result, the issue arises: is Militao prepared to compete? It is necessary for him to have some time to acclimate to the demands of competitive football, despite the fact that he may be physically fit.
A transfer that would put him up against Manchester City, a team that is skilled in tactics, would be a foolish one.
In spite of the fact that there is a danger associated with Nacho as well, playing Militao might be an even greater gamble, particularly when taking into consideration Thibaut Courtois’s recent turn of events.
Find a way to stop De Bruyne.
The fact that Kevin De Bruyne is the primary impetus behind Manchester City’s offense is not a secret under any circumstances. The Belgian international has been a source of frustration for Real Madrid, as he has scored three goals and provided four assists in the eight matches that he has played against them.
In his most recent matches against Real Madrid, De Bruyne has contributed to three goals, including one goal that he scored himself and two goals that he served as an assist on.
De Bruyne’s pivotal position in Manchester City’s squad provides a tremendous test for Real Madrid, and Ancelotti is faced with the onerous job of creating a method to negate his danger. Real Madrid is now facing a formidable battle. Making the appropriate choice when it comes to the defensive midfielder is an essential component of this approach.
In the event that Ancelotti decides to team Tchouameni with Rudiger, a combination that Ancelotti may not like but that his management favors, Eduardo Camavinga would be the most sensible option to oppose De Bruyne.
The young Frenchman has shown that he is capable of performing well versus City in the past, and he has been included in Madrid’s starting lineup for each of their most recent four matches, although predominantly in a different position.
In order to properly control De Bruyne, it is necessary to provide consistent pressure, and Camavinga has shown in prior outings that he is capable of adhering to his opponent like glue. Once the severity of this danger is reduced, Man City will be able to be eliminated to a significant degree.
Do you have a single striker or two on your team?
During this season, Ancelotti has been attempting to maximize the potential of the players he possesses by experimenting with a variety of different formations. It is common for Jude Bellingham to choose a formation that consists of two forwards while he is in the lineup. This allows Bellingham to perform very well in his position.
Nevertheless, when Bellingham is not available, Ancelotti has sometimes chosen to play with a five-midfielder formation in order to have a higher level of control over the game.
Even still, going up against Manchester City presents a big obstacle due to the fact that City is well-known for their ability to dominate possession, a pattern that has been seen in their most recent matches against Real Madrid.
Even in their most recent encounter against Copenhagen, City had more than 70 percent of the possession, and the only reason they conceded was because Ederson made a mistake with a ball.
Real Madrid must concentrate on dominating their own half in order to offset the danger posed by City. This almost certainly necessitates a team that is heavy on the middle. Nevertheless, this opens them up to the possibility of being attacked.
It is important to point out that City has a great record in Champions League knockout matches, having only lost one in over five years. Real Madrid needed a remarkable comeback in their most recent match, which took place in 2022.
Ancelotti could choose to take a more aggressive strategy, much as they did in their previous effort to make a comeback. Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, and Bellingham positioning themselves in the middle of the field might offer Madrid with the offensive energy they want while also allowing them to keep control.
In essence, Ancelotti is confronted with a strategic conundrum when it comes to Manchester City, which is to strike a balance between defensive resiliency and offensive brilliance in order to triumph over their formidable adversaries.
