League semi-final. The first legs coming up this week, in
Madrid, Real Madrid against Manchester City on Tuesday,
doesn't get much bigger than this gentleman and you're going
to come to you first of these. Your question, who
are the favorites to win this tie? Because, Man City are on
fire right now. Around Madrid a struggling a little bit in La
Liga, but the rest in players had some key injuries. Moderate
just been out recently. So seems like again, once again on
the
Other angelotti they're just focusing now on the Champions
League almost muscle memory, right? Trying to get back into
the groove
as they always have done in this competition. So
it maybe isn't as straightforward as it looks
because the bookie everyone else is saying arm and City
right now. They've got to get through to the final. They're
going to win the whole thing but also sure
about a month ago
before before the start of the knockout rounds we predicted
I went with City and I've had felt great about that through
the knockout rounds until now but then you see real
Putting all of the eggs in the Champions League basket and
suddenly don't feel quite as confident. Before they're very
few teams can can turn it off and turn it on game to game
competition to competition
but Real Madrid and especially under Carlo, ancelotti
are one of the teams that can do that and have done that
multiple times, you know, in recent season. So that makes me
a little bit worrisome, but it feels like it. Just feels
the momentum
and the just the formula the city have going right now,
bouncing back and forth between a couple of different systems
based on opponents. Do we really need to be on the front
foot? Is it going to be a little bit more of an open
game? Is it going to be a little bit more kg? I
would imagine it's going to be fairly kg at least in the first
leg Real Madrid. You know they understand how to manage
180-minute tie better than anybody in the world and so you
will have to pick and choose moments I think in this tie
where you go for it and where you just say
not worth the risk, not worth what could happen
if we take this risk here and so
the, the chess match
I feel like it's already began because
Carlo is kind of
has put the eggs into that basket and he's already kind of
made the first move between the, the pep versus Carlo
battle. And so, we will see obviously, you know, pep
overthinking hopefully not at it feels like he knows
he knows this team, I think is as well maybe better than any
team he's had at city and just understands kind of how to
shift them, through the gears and actually
kind of has a plan B this time around. Hasn't that is always
been the thing with City and pepe is well, sure
possession, it's great but what else do you have when that's
not working? And they've shown a little bit of something
different recent weeks
yet. It did especially against Austin or not. God will direct
into Bruno and Holland just going down the hall of a team.
So
Holland Dimension and then it obviously, record-breaking week
for him.
Setting the all-time Premier League record for most goals in
a single season. How do you stop him? If you're a Madrid
obviously is a very easy question. I'm giving you But it
seems like
someone like rudiger will really relish that one-on-one
physical battle and not sure if you're going to hang with
Harlan, but
that will be pretty tasty at the heart of the defense and
Military owl. You've got obviously moderate potentially
Krause in front of them.
Is it all about a salmon? That I said just I just stop
the service and the supplied to Holland and we find limit is
Chance.
Yeah, sure it is. Yeah, great. Great higher their leads.
I'll tell you what.
He hasn't he just one quick same node. He does have a knack
for saying the obvious and make it sound like it's novel.
Look, I think sir the best hope that Real Madrid has is having
one of the best big game goalkeepers in the world. In
courtois who's been, you know, a phenomenal phenomenal player
because Holland is going to get his chances.
And I think at least at the outset for this first tie or
for the first leg of this time,
you're going to see Pep Guardiola
in all likelihood roll out the formation that's been working for
On the plan that's been working for him and are Real Madrid to
make him think more about what he wants to do at whether it be
at halftime of the first leg or or in between like so
how do you stop Holland.
You better have a
guess at this point. Better of a philosophy that catches him
off guard and I just don't see that happening because
it is his first time ever against most of these players.
It's definitely his first time against Real Madrid and
they don't have experience going against him and I think his
Is balanced. His body type is
the power. He brings the table and his,
his knack for going to the right places are going to
different places Than People expect has proven to be
a challenge for people to recognize and adapt to. And
there's,
there's a comparison to baseball
where pitchers are facing hitters. The first time through
the order, or hitters are facing pitchers the first time
through the order. And then, by the time, they get to the third
time, managers, sometimes take not a very good picture
just because there's a They're ready for the better. So
yeah. I just think this all does point to
a potentially, very good. First leg
for City,
Andy prediction, would you think?
Let me, let me throw in a stat here real quick to kind of back
up. What? Nick saying. So, Militello and rudiger have
played all three of the last three League games together for
a real Madrid. They've given up eight goals in those three
games and
so it's not just that they're not getting results, it's that
the results are very poor in the performances are matching.
Them as well.
That's true. And
you know they drop down to wall third spot in La Liga,
politico's
overtaken them but you know, top four is secured. So they're
obviously really are folks that on
wrapping their best players in Cotton wool ahead of these two
games against Man City.
I think it's going to be a draw I could see like a 1-1 or maybe
even a 22 in Madrid in the first leg and
Benzema and others just having
Not a field day, but having a bit of Joy with this, if it is
the
3241 formation that they've been rolling out recently,
still think there's a few gaps in there
for teams to exploit, obviously around Madrid
against Liverpool. We saw that right in the first leg, they
can Blitz teams and a 20-minute period and man said, you know,
that better than anyone. After the way, they were dumped out
of the competition last year by real. So that's what I'm going
with Andy prediction time.
Yeah, it does feel like it's a fairly massive. Civ Advantage
from Madrid, having the first leg at home. And I know, we've
kind of flip flopped in recent Years. First leg second
leg, which is more important. What you get that Advantage
at the halfway point of the tie?
I don't know. City are going to have to play really defensive,
I think. And can they commit to that for 90 minutes? Because we
know the chances are going to be there for Real Madrid
and they're probably City probably have to go a little
bit more direct to the way that they did against Arsenal. Soak
up a little bit more pressure
and and try and get to bring along. So I'm gonna with that.
Mind
I think maybe
a 2-1 to Madrid, but, but but keep City obviously, just
a goal down. Very much in the tie. And I think if they could
go back to the Etihad down, just a goal, I think Pepper
would probably sign up for that now,
and just skip playing the first leg,
Nick, your thoughts.
I'm gonna go to one city.
I think that it's,
it is obviously a major challenge,
but I can see us talking about next week. Hey,
city has the Vantage but they've thrown this away before
against Real Madrid. Like, I think the story line starts
the right itself a bit and
I think pep is played
the system. Well,
I think he's played his lineup. Well and I think his players
are going to be ready and rested relatively speaking for
this for this game. Yeah, it's going to be so interesting.
Right, because that you mentioned, then the weight of
expectation on man city that's all right. Now
it's time to do it. Now it's time to win this Champions
League title and you have Harland and this incredible
form, The Broiler in great form. You've rested
Some players recently,
it's now not now or never but now is the. Best opportunity
feels like compared to the last few seasons.
So
let's wait and see, we've been here before with Man City, but
it should be an absolute beauty of a game. So head over the pro
soccer talk on NBC sports.com. For the how the watch
information live analysis reaction video from Real Madrid
against Man City massive massive
first leg of the Champions League semi-final coming.