This Wednesday, the cast of Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid will have an unprecedented objective ahead. The meringues face the Manchester Cityaway from home, for the second leg of the semifinals of the Champions League. The first leg ended 1-1 and Real Madrid will have to look for the result on the return, as it did on a few occasions in the last campaign that resulted in the title of the Spaniards.
This is the third time in six Champions League home-and-away ties over the past two years that Real Madrid will have to win the tie to advance in the competition. The last two occasions were last season against PSG in the round of 16 and against Manchester City in the semi-final.
In both scenarios the score was reversed in favor of the Spaniards. Against the Parisian team, Real Madrid lost the first leg by 1-0 and made it 3-1 in the second leg, at the Santiago Bernabéu. In the semifinals, the meringues lost by 4 to 3 in the first game, but won by 3 to 1, in overtime, on the return. However, there is one difference for this Wednesday clash against City: the field command.
This will be the first time that Ancelotti has sent Real Madrid to the field needing to win an away game in the Champions League. Of the six matches, this will be only the second time that Real plays away from home. The first occasion was precisely in the previous round, against Chelsea, for the quarterfinals. However, in that situation, Real did not need to build on the result, as they had won the first leg by 2-0 in front of their fans.
So far, in the knockout stages of the Champions League with Ancelotti, Real have won four and suffered just one defeat at home. Already away from home, the retrospect is three wins and two defeats.
On the bright side, in the two away matches this season in the knockout stages of the Champions League, Real Madrid have won twice, against Liverpool and Chelsea.
👏🤩 ¡@MrAncelotti equals Ferguson as the coach with the most appearances in the Champions League!#RealFootball | #UCL pic.twitter.com/ozmBgj5EGx
— Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid) May 10, 2023
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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