Actual Madrid put together for one more seismic Champions League showdown – the form of matchup that defines the identification of the membership and separates contenders from royalty.
Drawn towards Manchester Metropolis, Los Blancos as soon as once more discover themselves within the place they know greatest.
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Whereas Barcelona direct their consideration towards a must-win conflict towards Eintracht Frankfurt simply to remain alive in race for direct qualification, Actual Madrid step onto the most important stage of all of them, going through Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis.
Rooting for Metropolis… clearly
And if there was ever an indication of Madrid’s unmatched stature, it got here subtly from Barcelona themselves.
Requested about Madrid going through Metropolis, Barça vice chairman Rafa Yuste provided an easy remark.
“Actual Madrid vs Metropolis? Pep Guardiola is aware of what he has to do. I by no means rejoice in anybody’s disaster.” he advised El , referring to Actual Madrid’s current dip in type.
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Xabi Alonso’s tenure as Actual Madrid boss has not gone as deliberate. After a powerful begin to the season, the Spaniard is going through one of many hardest spells.
Xabi Alonso is below excessive strain for the time being. (Photograph by David Ramos/Getty Photos)
To place issues in perspective, the Los Blancos have received simply two of their final seven matches, dropping twice and drawing thrice.
This has understandably put Alonso below the highlight and as reported earlier than, the upcoming European tie towards Man Metropolis might be the for the previous Bayer Leverkusen boss.
Barcelona, in the meantime, should give attention to a totally completely different form of drawback – surviving a must-win match simply to keep away from taking part in additional matches within the Champions League.
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So whereas Barça brace for Frankfurt and speak about psychological strain, Madrid put together for Manchester Metropolis with the understanding that champions don’t select their opponents.
And if Pep “is aware of what he has to do”, as Yuste suggests, then Actual Madrid know even higher what nights like these demand.
The Champions League has at all times been the competitors of Actual Madrid and now, as soon as once more, it asks them to show it.