‘They will be worried’: Rafa Benitez makes a prediction about Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Rafa Benitez has indicated that Manchester City are the frontrunners to defeat Real Madrid and secure a spot in the forthcoming Champions League final.
In the initial semi-final match, City managed to salvage a 1-1 draw by equalizing with a goal from Kevin De Bruyne in the second half, nullifying Vinicius Junior’s opener at the Santiago Bernabeu.
As the second leg approaches for Pep Guardiola’s team, a former Champions League victor has expressed his opinions on the upcoming game.
Benitez backs Man City as favourites over Real Madrid
In a recent interview posted on Twitter by Football Daily, Benitez expressed his thoughts on the clash.
He said: “Manchester City has more balance with a centre-back going in as a midfielder, they keep three defenders and they can control the main threat of Real Madrid when they are not in possession and against Manchester City they will not be in possession.
“I think Manchester City is a little bit the favourite because they will play at home, they will have possession and they have a lot of confidence.
“But at the same time, they will be worried about Real Madrid and their experience. Real Madrid is not a team that will be worried about the atmosphere or whatever. They know what they have to do.
“They have to be sure they can keep the ball, avoid the first press when Manchester City give the ball away and they go to press, avoid this first line of pressing and then try to use the counter-attack.”
In the recent match, City had 56% possession and more shots on target (6 compared to 4) than the home team. This could explain why Benitez believes that Guardiola’s side may have control over the game on Wednesday, especially with the advantage of playing at home.
Furthermore, City managed to defeat Carlo Ancelotti’s team 4-3 at the Etihad in the previous Champions League season, although they were eventually eliminated after losing 3-1 in the return fixture. This demonstrates City’s ability to secure a victory against Real when playing on their home ground.
However, considering Real’s experience and success in winning the competition, this will undoubtedly pose a challenging test for City, regardless of Benitez’s assertion that they are the favorites.
‘They will be worried’: Rafa Benitez makes a prediction about Manchester City vs Real Madrid
