Real Madrid News
Rival watch: Manchester City could recover two key stars for second-leg vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid and Manchester City concluded the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final match-up in a stalemate.
Both sides scored three goals each, with tons of action on display. The game lived up to the billing as onlookers bore witness to high-quality football from start to finish.
But considering the leg was hosted at the Santiago Bernabeu and Manchester City were harboring casualties, Real Madrid will undeniably feel that they missed out on a crucial opportunity.
After losing Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, the Cityzens even lost Kevin De Bruyne mere moments before the clash commenced.
However, as the second leg approaches, Man City are expected to reclaim their stars, which will add to Los Blancos’ concerns.
Who are the players Pep Guardiola will retrieve?
According to AS Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden have strong possibilities to feature in the second leg, while Kyle Walker’s inclusion is not entirely ruled out either.
Unless any unforeseen setbacks take place against Luton Town this weekend, Kevin de Bruyne will be available to receive Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.
Considering he was only facing stomach issues before the first leg, de Bruyne’s issue is not deemed serious and Real Madrid can expect to face off against a player who has caused them trouble over the years.
Moreover, Phil Foden, who was taken off the pitch in the first leg, is anticipated to be available for the game next week.
The Englishman only picked up a knock according to Pep Guardiola and could have even finished the game against Real Madrid.
While there are doubts about Nathan Ake who will be facing a race against time to get back to full fitness, Walker reportedly has better prospects of featuring in the second leg, as his “special genetics” have previously been heralded by Pep Guardiola as well.
Real Madrid’s task is bound to be more complicated with many of Man City’s main starters returning, but the club have invariably performed best when they are considered down and out.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
