Real Madrid (A) CL Semi Final 2nd Leg - Wed 4th May, 20:00 (BST) | Pre-Match Thread

Match Result Prediction

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As Pep said in his Sky interview we have "Dias coming back" which means coming back to form, Laporte better than before, Cancelo returning, Jesus and Kev in form. We will at the very least match them and that should be enough.
 
paulsimpson said:
As Pep said in his Sky interview we have "Dias coming back" which means coming back to form, Laporte better than before, Cancelo returning, Jesus and Kev in form. We will at the very least match them and that should be enough.
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Bernardo and Rodri in form too, Foden is improving too.

I think Sterling may start this game because he is better at pressing than Mahrez and because Madrid would be wary of leaving free spaces for him to attack. If we need a goal, then Mahrez would be a better option against a packed defence.
 
Real Madrid 0-5 City

Ederson
Cancelo , Dias , Laporte , Zinchenko
KDB , Rodri , Bernardo
Mahrez/Sterling , Jesus , Foden
 
This is going to be the most physically challenged game of the season so far. If I was Pep I would just do one light session of training on the Tuesday morning, let the players rest today and Monday. We need to be fresh in this game so rest is the key
 
alexmcity said:
Bernardo and Rodri in form too, Foden is improving too.

I think Sterling may start this game because he is better at pressing than Mahrez and because Madrid would be wary of leaving free spaces for him to attack. If we need a goal, then Mahrez would be a better option against a packed defence.
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No thanks for Sterling, a good option from the bench will do. Made some decent runs against Leeds but still no end product, not good enough at this moment in time
 
Hoghead said:
Well, I'm in Gran Canaria for this. Should be fun.
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Good place to be. Went to the Canaries many, many years ago. Always intended to go back. Wanted to visit the smaller, less known islands like Gomera and Hierro.
I'd think that the inhabitants will not all, as a matter of course, be rooting for RM. Far from it. And a certain David Silva comes from around those parts, if I remember correctly…
 
alexmcity said:
I think Sterling may start this game because he is better at pressing than Mahrez and because Madrid would be wary of leaving free spaces for him to attack. If we need a goal, then Mahrez would be a better option against a packed defence.
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Mahrez completely rested yesterday. Must be in Pep's thoughts for Wednesday. I think Pep wants to go for this. I mean win the second leg, and win it handsomely.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Mahrez completely rested yesterday. Must be in Pep's thoughts for Wednesday. I think Pep wants to go for this. I mean win the second leg, and win it handsomely.
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Bringing Sterling in against tiring defenders is also a great option, especially if we Real are chasing the game/tie in the 2nd half.

If the idea is to dominate them in the 1st half and try to score first, then Mahrez may make more sense indeed. But Raz makes sense as well, for we want to control the game better than at the Etihad, and intense pressing from the front is key to that, Sterling is better at closing down defenders than Mahrez. At the same time, he is more likely to lose the ball under pressure...
 
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alexmcity said:
Bringing Sterling in against tiring defenders is also a great option, especially if we Real are chasing the game/tie in the 2nd half.

If the idea is to dominate them in the 1st half and try to score first, then Mahrez may make more sense indeed. But Raz makes sense as well, for we want to control the game better than at the Etihad, and intense pressing from the front is key to that, Sterling is better at closing down defenders than Mahrez. At the same time, he is more likely to lose the ball under pressure...
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Mahrez before sterling on the right. The guys 1st touch and close control is a joy to behold, and crucial. Maybe bring sterling on late to challenge a tiring defence.
 
I remember a quote by Pep in the press conference just before the second leg against Atletico saying they were going there to win, but 15 minutes before the end they would see what the score was and act accordingly. I’m curious about what he has to say in the next press conference. After the game, he said “we’re going to Madrid to win”. Let’s see if he maintains that. I don’t think he wants the team to go and hang on to the one goal advantage; he wants to win well. It’s the club he’s hated his entire life from a sports but also political perspective, and the historical Spanish pundits write almost lyrical analysis of games, and the ones written post-Atletico must have made him uncomfortable — it is after all his country. On the back of his head will be the uneasy feeling that he set out the team to make a big result in the first leg and ultimately they didn’t pull it off
 
Georgian Maestro said:
I would play Sterling on the left. He tore Carvajal apart and changed the game for us when he came on at the Bernabeu in 2020.
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Came here to say this. I'm not Sterling's biggest fan, at all, and much as I personally rate Carvajal, he struggles vs pace and playing Raz out there wouldn't be the worst idea.
 
A nice controlled win. 1:0 at half time, another early in the second. A third on the break as Madrid panic on 75 mins. McAtee, Mbete and Lavia on for minutes by the end. De Bruyne and Rodri with their feet up for the weekend.

Thank you.
 
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