The wait is over. Champions League is officially back!
And what better way to restart the tournament than to have two heavyweights go toe-to-toe in such a huge match. We’re going to see this year’s La Liga champions – Real Madrid – travel to England to take on the high octane machine of Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash – Friday 3PM (ET). However, Real Madrid are at a huge disadvantage as they allowed two late goals to City back on February 26th in Madrid in a 2-1 loss, which means they’re going to have to score a minimum of two away goals at the Etihad to go through.
It will be an uphill climb for the Galacticos in a game that should see plenty of offense. Manchester City averaged 2.7 goals/game in the Premiership this season so I would be shocked to see Pep and crew play any kind of defensive tactics against Real Madrid.
Luka Modrić and company will have to be at their best if they want to set up a date with the winner of the Juventus/Lyon tie in the quarterfinals. Real Madrid were flying high in La Liga at the end of the season, but they weren’t playing teams anywhere close to City’s caliber.
It’s going to be goals galore in Manchester! But it won’t be enough for Real Madrid. The match ends in a 2-2 draw and City will face Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus in the quarterfinal round. But that’s just my prediction.
Rakitic looked good today.
Perišić seems to still have a pulse.
Both of these over 30 studs have another chapter to write at a new club next season.
Once we got all of our nogometaši playing in the business end of the Champions League we starting to become world beaters.
Srna was the leader with Shakhtar and then Olić with Bayern.
Now every year we get to see our boys in the greatest club competition on the planet.
@Soul Champ- Didn’t watch. Thanks for the executive summary.
A great coach doesn’t have just one system. Sarri tried fitting a trapezoid peg into a circular hole.
Sarri’s firing is a testament to Mandzukic’s greatness.
@ Mixed grill
No doubt it wasn’t a vintage Modrić display yesterday.
But you had Varane and Casemiro shit the bed.
This has a direct impact on Modrić attempting to create from the back against a fresh and hungry Man City.
Kroos is Kroos.
Golden right foot.
But I have never seen him dribble and create in heavy traffic.
Hazard?
Point is Modrić needs support against an elite high pressing club like Man City.
At 24 he needs it and certainly at 34 after carrying Real to a La Liga.
@ Sarri
MANDŽUKIĆ.
Maybe quit smoking and drop the attachment to your system and realize you need BEASTS like MANdzukic to win the Champions league.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.thescore.com/chlg/news/1998774/amp
Soul champ you are cherry picking player ratings, check the other ones. Modric did not play well, missed passes he would usually make and if anything Kroos was better. I am just speaking of last night.
Other than Benzema who did anything around Modrić?
At 34 Modrić is not carrying Real Madrid at Man City.
Hazard is getting a pass for being a big time BUST year?
Bale saga is bizarre as he probably could have helped today?
Varane ?? Wow.
Casemiro exposed.
Kroos pedestrian.
Asensio still recovering.
Was Vinicius injured?
Modrić at least showed up.
Ramos, Crazy as he is was missed.
@ Maminjo
I agree totally.
All these nogometaši could come on the cheap to support the transition for the younger players at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid also have a lot good players to make weight in any transfer deals.
Real Madrid need more Croats.
Probably should snake Brozović before Liverpool does, and maybe grab Perišić on the cheap on a loan deal.
🙂
To be honest, Modric didn’t do much at all today…he was suffocated!
Hazard
Jovic
James
Bale
This year have Combined to do less than Modrić at 34 years old?
Luka Modrić — 6.5: Luka continued to look sharp and agile, and along with Karim was probably Madrid’s best player. He showed up all over the pitch, and had the chance to really make things interesting after taking a good touch in the area and forced a block/save from Ederson.
I can’t believe at 34 how he has no help in the middle?
This is Real Madrid?
There best players are all in there 30’s.
Thank god they won la liga this year.
Sarri is a complete loser. After today’s game he said “I expected less” from Juventus!
This guy tends to say some really weird comments about his team saying they are tired, they don’t know his system, they’re in need of this and that!
Juventus has, by far, the best roster in Italy and even than most top teams in Europe and his comments make him look like he’s lost his marbles.
Real defenders lost the game for their team…they were terrible today!
Higuain couldn’t tie Mandzukic’s shoe laces! Waste of space….imagine paying $90 mill for that and watching him drag his ass every game!
Modrić can’t carry pedestrian Kroos anymore.
Casemiro was off today as well?
Sarri = peder.
Mandžukić is made for the champions league.
I hope he finds the right club to play striker and goes on a scoring spree this season.
@Elvis
Boavista always wore the checkers.
Can’t hate on them for that.
Barcelona wearing them was an obvious trend move, following our Finals appearance at the last World Cup.
But nothing was worse than that Israeli league team who literally wore Croatia kits, lol.
Juventus…LOL.
Why did they think hiring Sarri was a good move?
Dude tosses Mandzo, and almost loses them the Scudetto (and now a Round of 16 knockout to a much inferior opponent).
Next season might finally be their downfall with teams like Atalanta, Inter and even Milan coming up.
LOL at juve and sarri.
Not a great game for Modric. Awful game for Varane, caused two goals through defensive errors.
I’m thinking a reverse 2-1 scoreline.
Hazard has to have a big game.
Different Madrid and Mancester from 6 months ago. I think Madrid can do it.
If we had something like the 08 roads and just did black instead of blue that would be slick
If Luka somehow just goes off today and brings Real back from dead against man city
He goes down as the greatest Madrid midfielder
He is already in that talk I know this
check out this teams kit
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8597945/Former-Manchester-United-starlet-Angel-Gomes-handed-No-10-shirt-Portuguese-Boavista.html?login#readerCommentsCommand-message-field
Hmm .. a fresh and in form Luka Modrić has in a one off match?
Does Luka give us yet another vintage performance?
Real Modrić 3-2!
Zidane > peder pep