Real Madrid (H) | CL SF 2nd Leg | Post-Match Thread

[philiph20]

Enjoyed that. The guy at the end is a legend!

It would be great if the club could sort him out for the final, obviously very unwell but as dedicated and blue as they come.

 

[Franny 1234]

19 wins out of 23 games since the Premier league charges. Thanks for bringing our squad together. Pep doesn't need to do a team talk.
IT'S GREAT BEING A BLUE CTID

 

[vmsuhail]

Redcafe has 7 threads related to City in the very first page. Talk of the town.

 

[WickyWain]

Redcafe has 7 threads related to City in the very first page. Talk of the town.

They don't care about us though.

 

[standupifyouhatemanu]

Think my Spanish neighbours might have heard me when all 3 went in. Then the fourth was a sit back and RELAX.

Same for me, noisiest my Spanish man cave has ever been

 

[OB1]

Wow, just wow. In our long and storied history have we ever played better than last night? We destroyed the World, European and Spanish Champions to such an extent that at the end they looked more like Maidstone than Madrid. My highlight of the game was Walkers tracking back and taking the ball off Vini Jr, it was a moment that said to Madrid you cannot hurt us, we are dominating you in every area of the pitch. I have never seen Kroos and Modric look so average, they looked their age as we swarmed all over them, Benzema hardly had a kick, their defence looked like they had just met each other and the only player who could hold his head up high was Courtois, who despite conceding four goals was magnificent and another day it could have easily have been seven or eight as he denied Haaland 3 times with magnificent saves. Ancellotti, the greatest manager in CL history had no answers, he looked as shell shocked as his players because he knew there was not going to be a miracle come back such was our domination.

As for our team, well what can i say, i will go through each player.

Ederson, made a couple of vital saves, looked confident and used the ball well

Walker, he made Vini Jr look like an under 12s junior

Dias, will not believe he had such an easy night.

Stones, the new role he has is made for him, he strode around looking like Beckenbaur

Ekanji, dominant, composed and quite possibly our biggest bargain buy since Vinny.

Bernardo, outstanding, gave Cannaviga a torrid time and took his goals beautifully

KDB, looked out on his feet at the end, his commitment, skill and creativity scared Madrid to death

Rodri, simply magnificent, he dominated midfield, broke up the counters and he use of the ball was superb.

Gundo, he ticked, he kept us ticking, then ticked some more, as good a midfielder as we have ever had.

Jack, fabulous, looked every inch a £100 million player, Madrid never got near him apart from bringing him down.

Haaland, could have had a hat trick, worked his socks off and was a threat all night.

Foden, what a ball for the Alvarez goal, in his few minutes on the pitch he probably ran more than most Madrid players

Alvarez, took his goal like the World Champion he is, the icing on a very big cake

Pep, got it right, no overthinking, his passion is incredible

The fans, magnificent, the Empithad was a cauldron, even the empty seats were loud Smile

A word of caution, it will be easy to think we have won it, but Inter are a better team than Madrid and we have to be as good in the final as we were tonight

A great summing up.

 

[city saint]

does this now qualify as a magical european night under the lights at the etihad

 

[Maintainin]

For the older Bluemooners - can any of you hear McFadden and Whitehead ?

There's been so many thangs that's held us down

But now it looks like thangs are finally comin' around...

 

[fanatic1]

Penny for the thoughts of: Joao Cancelo.
Should have stopped moaning was getting plenty game time and now misses out on potentially being part of one of the most memorable teams of city and season.

What a plonker!!

Cancelo should be shipped out asap. If his loan period at Bayern expires and they do not want him (which is likely) he should not play for us again and made available for transfer. Since he left we've gone on this incredible run. We've 2 first class left backs anyway (Ake and Akanji) and this trouble maker is surplus to requirements.

 

[aguero93:20]

Cancelo should be shipped out asap. If his loan period at Bayern expires and they do not want him (which is likely) he should not play for us again and made available for transfer. Since he left we've gone on this incredible run. We've 2 first class left backs anyway (Ake and Akanji) and this trouble maker is surplus to requirements.

Girona could do with another full back if his agent doesn't get a move sorted.

 

[city68]

Here in Spain I've got the neighbours shouting CITY CITY.

 

[Maintainin]

That first half, summed up by Tina Turner:

I call you when I need you, my heart's on fire
You come to me, come to me wild and wild
When you come to me
Give me everything I need​

Give me a lifetime of promises and a world of dreams
Speak a language of love like you know what it means
MMm, and it can't be wrong
Take my heart and make it strong, baby


You're simply the best
Better than all the rest
Better than anyone
Anyone I've ever met​

 

[Gesario]

Enjoyed that. The guy at the end is a legend!

God bless yer Gareth

 

[Manc in London]

I think it’s very hard to judge if this team is better than 2011 Barca because it’s just a different beast.

I think Pep’s Barca would get chopped to pieces playing in the Premier League against the likes of Stoke and Burnley every week. They’d probably still win of course but defending against the long ball, injuries and the higher intensity needed could have cost them 10-15pts a season versus their form in Spain.

I reckon Pep learned early on that the pinnacle Premier League team and the pinnacle La Liga team need to have different qualities. This City team is like the Darwinian evolution of that Barca team, adapted perfectly for its environment. We’re like two finches on different islands in the Galapagos. As you say, we have that athletic, commanding style with the right balance of mercurial. That Barca team was mercurial on steroids.

The drawback has been that our style is less well-suited to European ventures where the trade-off of physicality for skill makes less sense. But Pep has tinkered with that balance, brought in new elements like the false full back and I think since 2021 we realistically have been the best team in Europe by practically all measures (except for the most important one). Now we are seeing the summit, a team that is virtually perfect in form - bottled lightning. We just need to go out once more and etch it into history.

Very good post,Blue

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

I think it’s very hard to judge if this team is better than 2011 Barca because it’s just a different beast.

I think Pep’s Barca would get chopped to pieces playing in the Premier League against the likes of Stoke and Burnley every week. They’d probably still win of course but defending against the long ball, injuries and the higher intensity needed could have cost them 10-15pts a season versus their form in Spain.

I reckon Pep learned early on that the pinnacle Premier League team and the pinnacle La Liga team need to have different qualities. This City team is like the Darwinian evolution of that Barca team, adapted perfectly for its environment. We’re like two finches on different islands in the Galapagos. As you say, we have that athletic, commanding style with the right balance of mercurial. That Barca team was mercurial on steroids.

The drawback has been that our style is less well-suited to European ventures where the trade-off of physicality for skill makes less sense. But Pep has tinkered with that balance, brought in new elements like the false full back and I think since 2021 we realistically have been the best team in Europe by practically all measures (except for the most important one). Now we are seeing the summit, a team that is virtually perfect in form - bottled lightning. We just need to go out once more and etch it into history.

Really good post and I agree. I also think that Pep has also added the intensity of his Bayern team in to the mix at City. Whilst they never hit the heights Barca did, they had an aggression and physicality that is a key feature of our current side.

People can talk all they want about the money he has spent, but the tactics and ability to build and rebuild title winning teams so consistently, whilst managing the egos and personalities of top players is incredible. He's a genius and it's a privilege to have him as our manager.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I want to watch that first half again. Anyone know of anywhere where I can watch it all back? I didn’t record it through fear of jinxing it!

 

[Tourist since 1971]

Had to try and watch via streaming on a train. So loads of buffering and drop outs and only caught the Akanji goal live.
But 2 things came across, even with crap slow streaming, the football was devastatingly beautiful - if Charleze Theron was a Terminator this is what it would look like, and the crowd and atmosphere were just spectacular. Well done all blues who were there, you added to one of the greatest ever City performances. I watched a full replay when I got home until 3 am and was just open mouthed.
Get it done!

 

[JRockBlues]

I want to watch that first half again. Anyone know of anywhere where I can watch it all back? I didn’t record it through fear of jinxing it!

It's available behind the spoiler below. Not sure something like this site should be shared on an open forum but that's the wisest option

Spoiler: First Half replay

Football Origin

 

[standupifyouhatemanu]

Here in Spain I've got the neighbours shouting CITY CITY.

Looks like we have a good Spanish ex pat Bluemoon community with yourself and @Spanishbob and I presume others, I'm in Mojacar between Murcia and Almeria. Maybe it was us you heard shouting -:)

 

[blue whippet]

Poznan was great last night. Took a while because we were all so absorbed but then all of a sudden think we realized what we had achieved on the pitch, just how dominant we were. Amazing.