Real Madrid and Manchester City will face each other for the second consecutive season in the Champions League semi-finals. This time, the difference is the presence of goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland.
The unforgettable memories of Man City fans
Surely Man City fans still feel heartbroken when recalling the horrific memory at the Bernabeu last season. After a 4-3 victory at Etihad in the first leg, the Citizens were full of confidence in the rematch against their opponent in Madrid. Riyad Mahrez’s goal in the 73rd minute only reinforced the team’s belief in winning under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola.
However, everything collapsed in a moment. Young striker Rodrygo became the nightmare of Man City by scoring two goals in the 90th and 91st minutes to equalize the score. Then, Karim Benzema’s penalty in extra time sealed the comeback for Real Madrid and shocked everyone.
On the pitch, Man City’s players collapsed. The few fans of The Citizens present at the Bernabeu shared the same fate. They understood that Real Madrid had just shattered their hearts. A pain that perhaps will never subside and will always haunt them when they think of the Los Blancos.
Destiny and hope carry the name of ‘warrior’ Erling Haaland
This season in La Liga, Real Madrid is struggling to keep up with their fierce rivals Barcelona, trailing by 11 points after 29 matches, scoring 61 goals and conceding 24. However, in the Champions League, the White Knights are showing their familiar old age.
They have successively “knocked out” two English Premier League representatives, Liverpool and Chelsea, on their journey to the semi-finals. It must be acknowledged that Liverpool and Chelsea have lost themselves this season, but that does not diminish Real Madrid’s victories. In every match, Los Blancos always display a class of football that is completely different from the rest.
As for the team composition, Real Madrid at present has almost no major changes in personnel, still consisting of people such as Thibaut Courtois, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema, and Rodrygo. However, their brightest star, Karim Benzema, is showing signs of decline compared to his own form last season.
In terms of Manchester City, the team still demonstrates a frightening level of strength in the Premier League despite trailing Arsenal on the standings. The biggest difference for the Sky Blues compared to a year ago is their possession of the “weapon of mass destruction” named Erling Haaland. This season, the Norwegian superstar has pocketed 49 goals after 42 appearances in all competitions, including 32 goals in the Premier League, and is leading the race for the UEFA Champions League top scorer with 12 goals. With tremendous support from the surrounding satellites such as Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan, Phil Foden, Grealish, and Riyad Mahrez, if Haaland continues to show his frightening scoring form from the beginning of the season, he can dream of even bigger things.
So far, it can be said that Haaland is the embodiment of last season’s Benzema, a striker who plays the role of a “destroyer” in the truest sense, ready to shake any opponent’s net, with Bayern being the latest victim. The haunting nightmare of Man City against Real may still exist, but in the upcoming 180 minutes at Bernabeu and Etihad, with Haaland in the lineup, The Citizens are ready to reclaim what they have lost.
