Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has already promised “a thrilling game” at the Etihad Stadium after the teams drew 1-1 last week, with the winner of the tie going on to face Inter Milan in the final on June 10.
While Man City is the form team in Europe at the moment, Madrid has serious pedigree when it comes to the Champions League with five titles in the past nine years – and a record 14 overall.
“That will also be an important factor tomorrow. Having more of the ball means less risk defensively.”
Man City, meanwhile, is potentially four games away from winning the treble – the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup – after Manchester United became the first and only English team to achieve such a feat in 1999.
The Champions League is the one trophy that has so far eluded Pep Guardiola’s side, which fell short against Madrid in the semifinals last year and against Chelsea in the final the year before that.
“Our legacy is exceptional already,” Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday. “We have been here many times.
“We are not stupid to [not] know how important tomorrow’s game is, maybe one of the most important games since we have been here, we cannot deny that. For the competition, for the rivals, for many things.”
Vinícius Jr and Kevin De Bruyne both scored stunning long-range goals in the first leg and you would imagine it will take another moment of brilliance from either side to decide the tie.
Having not lost a home game since November, Man City enters the contest as the slight favorite, though a glance at the recent history of the Champions League shows that Madrid should never be written off when it comes to European knockout games.
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