The match of the year at the club level is approaching. This Real Madrid vs Manchester City is an anticipated final of the Champions League in a double game, so from 90min we want you to be updated on everything that is going to happen on the pitch. We have prepared an analysis with all the points that Carlo Ancelotti’s team must address to get closer to victory. To put you in context, we’ll start with the lineups:
What are the possible party lineups?
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Camavinga; Kroos, Modric, Valverde; Rodrygo, Vini Jr, Benzema
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Days, Akanji, Stones, Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Grealih, Haaland
What will be Manchester City’s scheme?
We start from the fact that Manchester City’s scheme is a 4-4-2 with De Bruyne and Haaland in the lead.
The most notable point of this team is without a doubt how easy it is to adopt different positions on the field. The schemes in modern football are starting to disappear and what we have today are intermediate positions. Guardiola has players who are capable of adapting that role and depending on the phase of the game, adopting one or the other… These are the cases of De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gundogan, Stones and even Rubén Días.
Part of that 4-4-2, but in many phases of the game it becomes a 3-2-4-1.
What are Manchester City’s strengths?
The Cityzens have the ability to take the game to the fields they want at any time. That is the great change of Guardiola. He has realized that he doesn’t need to have possession in the opponent’s half for the full 90 minutes to do damage.
In this scenario, Guardiola is the best because he knows how to find the weak link of the rival team, and he has a De Bruyne who is the best in the world taking advantage of space and, not only that, this year he is lucky to have the most forward forward ahead of him. deadly in the world
Ancelotti’s XI: Rodrygo key factor
Seeing the little space that City leaves between the lines and the number of footballers with whom they come under pressure, Rodrygo is the ideal player to unblock Real Madrid.
Without making suffocating pressure, the ”Skyblues” are capable of occupying the entire core of the rival field and taking the game out, where they always have their center-backs/laterals paired with the rival wingers. Hence the importance of Rodrygo.
What is Real Madrid’s big problem?
The ball exit from behind. Guardiola is going to propose a team to drown Madrid, and he can achieve it if Kroos and Modric are not 100%. It is here where Camavinga, playing as a winger, has a fundamental role, joining the line of these two and leaving more responsibilities and more space for Alaba.
As is evident, City will always put their pressure on Rudiger, who is the worst at the back with the ball at his feet. Hence Rodrygo’s role is so important. He not only up between the lines, but venting the team at all times and taking advantage of Valverde’s route.
How can Madrid hurt City?
Getting out of that pressure. If they manage to jump quickly and get the ball to those above, who in many phases of the game will be matched 1-1, City can become very fragile. Obviously it will not be easy. But Guardiola’s defense will be at a clear disadvantage against the Real Madrid players when they face the hot zones. Walker and Akanji, who will be on the outside, will suffer a lot against Vinicius and Rodrygo.
What is the ideal game plan for Ancelotti?
Despite the fact that he is going to play at the Bernabéu and he does not like being locked up behind, it is the best way to fight City. Do not leave spaces between the defensive line and the goal because the Haaland-De Bruyne association is lethal.
Real Madrid could come out in a low block and make Manchester City play in a rival field, something that we have seen very little this season. The last big game of the ”Cityzens” was against Arsenal and only 37% of their possession was in the rival field.
Ancelotti will seek to give away the ball to leave City without spaces and be able to take advantage of theirs with Vini-Benzema-Rodry. He has experienced players capable of enduring a game like this.
What do you get with this?
Disconnect Haaland as Bayern did in the first part of the first leg of the quarterfinals. Playing in a rival field with the team withdrawn and with few spaces becomes sterile (within what is possible). Without touching the ball he is capable of scoring two goals.
