2023-05-09 20:53:49
Published on : Modified :
Karim Benzema’s Real Madrid could not do better than a home draw on Tuesday against Erling Haaland’s Manchester City. Vinicius and De Bruyne scored the only goals of the game (1-1).
Everything has to be done. Real Madrid and Manchester City settled for a draw on Tuesday May 9 for the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals (1-1). The two teams will have to decide on Wednesday at the Etihad stadium in Manchester.
For the 10th semi-final of Pep Guardiola’s career, Manchester City is not departing from its principles of play. The Citizens confiscate the ball from Madrid and settle methodically in their part of the field. The White House is besieged and struggling to free itself.
Courtois took the opportunity to warm up quietly on shots from the Mancunians. He fends off attempts by De Bruyne (8th), Rodri Hernandez (13th) and a header from Erling Haaland (16th).
Real Madrid are biding their time to be dangerous. Rodri loses the ball on his right flank, Vinicius Jr takes advantage and crosses hard on the ground. Benzema prowls at six meters but Dias pulls out an impeccable tackle to prevent him from pushing deep (25th).
Two goals on opposing highlights
A first warning for the Mancunians who continue to invade the Madrid field but without concretizing. The inevitable then happens: on Real’s first shot on target, Vinicius finds Ederson’s top corner after a service from Camavinga (36th, 1-0).
Manchester City starts to push again in the opposing thirty meters but still does not find the fault and begins to get angry because of Madrid’s muscular interventions. As tempers flared, the match referee issued the first yellow card after a tripping by Kroos.
The second half is off to a flying start. Real Madrid deploy in attack. Shifted to the left, Benzema began a superb three-way movement with Vinicius and Carvajal which allowed him to find himself in a good position, on the left in the area but he missed his shot from the left (50th).
Courtois then saves his people. Grealish signals himself and sends a side pass that Rodri lets roll to De Bruyne. The Belgian applies for his strike but his compatriot stops it (55th). It is then Alaba who splits with a saving tackle to block Haaland (56th).
Real Madrid take the lead over their opponent who is struggling to get chances. But, in a mirror game with the first period, it was when Madrid’s domination was strongest that Manchester City found the fault: a loss of the ball from Camavinga and a cannon shot from De Bruyne and here are the Citizens who equalize (67th, 1-1).
Real Madrid tries to regain the advantage from a free kick. That of Alaba goes well above (71st). The next, from Kroos, is dropped on the head of Benzema but Ederson pushes back (78th). From then on, the match got bogged down and the two teams settled for a minimum service as if the draw suited them both. The only exception: a long shot from the incoming Tchouaméni (90′).
See you on May 17 during the return leg to decide between the two teams.
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