City victim of their own weapon: Ancelotti teaches Guardiola and his possession a lesson | CHRONICLE

It was 1-1 at the Bernabéu, in a game in which Real Madrid was the one who most wanted to win it with that verticality that characterizes it and with a Vinícius again on a European night with all the lights on him. But it was City who seemed to take the game by drag, since they took over the field in the first half hour of play, until they ran into what Real means.

Lethal counterattack and great goal from Vinícius after 36 minutes for a new example that Real Madrid doesn’t care if they play more with the ball or with spaces. A result that showed how knockout Ancelotti’s team is, who with a punch can knock out his rival.

And so the goal and its options arrived. Quick start between Modric and Camavinga for Vini to score with a kick. This is how the options for Valverde, Tchouameni and Benzema arrived.

And City is more of a dancer inside the ring. As long as you don’t hit him, he moves from here to there looking for the moment when the opponent drops his guard, such as Camavinga’s error at the exit for De Bruyne to equalize with a great shot from the edge of the area.

Figures Rudiger controlling a little active Haaland (he only touched the ball 22 times, seven of them in the opposite field), Vinícius leading each Real attack and Rodri, being the one who controls the midfield before the low level of Gundogan.

Ancelotti commands

And City is pointed out again for its possession game. He had 69% control when Real Madrid’s goal came. The English already had 6 shots and four of them on target without success. Real in the first was already celebrating.

And it was immediately remembered what City did in their series against Bayern, when they gave the Germans control of the ball to kill them on the counterattack. In the 3-0 in England, Guardiola’s team barely reached 44% possession. And in the 1-1 in Germany he was 42% and gave him to get ahead of the score.

This time he missed the path, since the ball was dueled or Real Madrid handed it over, so that the Spanish defend as a block without leaving spaces for the De Bruyne-Haaland duo to find spaces to do damage.

And that’s when Ancelotti wins the duel against Guardiola, since the Italian coach proposed a match to be played without leaving an open field for his rivals. The Italian’s experience prevailed this time, despite the 1-1 result.

Despite City’s final possession (56%) and the tie that leaves the series open to be decided at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium next Wednesday, the game was played more as Ancelotti wanted it than Guardiola’s bet. And Pep did not want to risk more, that is why he did not make changes.

This is how this first part of the Champions League semifinal is sentenced. A Real Madrid that once again demonstrates its brutal punching and a Manchester City that with its game so advanced, takes advantage of every mistake they are given.

“We must congratulate the team because it was not easy against this team, in this scenario. We started the game very well and when we were better they scored and when they were better than us, we scored”

Pep Guardiola, City manager

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