The tops
- Benzema, eternal savior of Real
The providential man once again! Here he is with 14 goals in C1 this season after his new double. However, we had barely seen him during the first half hour when Real took on the water. And then, Karim Benzema found a way to strike again. Beautifully, once again. On one of his rare balls in the area, the French striker scored with a superb recovery from the left on a service from Ferland Mendy. At the best time to revive the Merengue. Benzema in the big text. And in addition, he offered himself the double of a Panenka on penalty, he who had missed two penalties in La Liga a few days ago. The boss of Real. Simply.
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Karim Benzema scorer on penalty with Real Madrid against Manchester City
Credit: Getty Images
- De Bruyne, conductor of genius
He is the master par excellence. His start to the match is notably a model of its kind. In addition to his early goal to launch City, the Belgian metronome regaled. His ability to distill the passes to guide the game of the Citizens is a joy to watch. It’s a real poison. And even if he slowed down over the minutes, Kevin De Bruyne weighed on this meeting with all his talent.
Four goals scored but regrets in spades: should City tremble?
It’s a funny feeling. We would almost forget that Real Madrid lost on Tuesday. If the evening was crazy with seven goals scored and a crazy pace, perhaps the most striking thing is the ability of Real to stay alive. While City imposed a stifling intensity with enormous pressing and exceptional technical quality, the visitors found the resources not to sink after this first half hour in hell. As often this season in the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti’s men used their experience to get back into the game. And leave Manchester with a narrow defeat which gives him the right to believe in the return.
The flops
- Aymeric Laporte, the hole after the break
Aymeric Laporte would surely have preferred to go out at half-time, like David Alaba. Still aligned alongside Ruben Dias, the Spanish international indeed had a very complicated second period. Upon returning from the locker room, we saw him feverish and hesitant. On Vinicius’ goal, he was surprisingly passive in letting the Madrid winger slip away. And in the 69th, he missed an intervention in front of the Brazilian, who brought an opportunity to Merengue. His ordeal was not over since he also gave Real a penalty for a hand in the area for the 4-3. It was time to go back to the locker room, which he shouldn’t have left at halftime.
ymeric Laporte against Vinicius in the semi-final between Citizens and Merengue
Credit: Getty Images
- David Alaba – Éder Militão, doublet unworthy of his status
They lacked sharpness, aggressiveness in their interventions and even accuracy. Especially in the first half hour, David Alaba and Éder Militão sank. If Militão is not hard-hitting enough on Phil Foden, Alaba, released at the break for a physical problem, is caught by Gabriel Jesus on the second Mancunian goal (2-0, 10th). Their unusual technical waste, especially from a disappointing Militão, also did not help Real, like the Brazilian’s completely failed back pass in the 20th.
Toni Kroos had accustomed us to something else. Lined up in front of the defense in the absence of Casemiro, the German did not weigh. Worse, he seemed overwhelmed by the pace of the game during the 90 minutes. If Luka Modric has given the impression of running in a vacuum for so long, the Croatian has managed to raise his head to guide the Madrid game a little at times. Unlike Kroos, who never found the right tempo.
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