Gary Neville has warned that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will fear Real Madrid’s remarkable resilience the most in the Champions League semi-final.
The two sides face off in the second leg of their last-four tie in Spain on Wednesday following a thrilling first encounter last week. City led 2-0 early on and then 3-1 in the second half, but Madrid would not lie down.
Indeed, the 13-time winners fought back to a 4-3 defeat, setting the tie up perfectly for the second leg.
City put on a show for parts of the first leg, with Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus among the key stars. However, Karim Benzema had the last laugh with an audacious Panenka penalty.
And Benzema has proved the leader for Madrid in overcoming major hurdles to reach this point. His hat-trick led his side’s comeback which sank Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. He then scored a second hat-trick at Stamford Bridge which helped knock Chelsea out.
As such, Neville told Sky Sports that City cannot afford to underestimate Los Blancos and Benzema.
“This is a monstrous game in midweek for City,” Neville said. “Manchester City versus Real Madrid is an event. The game last week was, but this on Wednesday is like a heavyweight boxing clash of the century.
“You have one every few years whereby you’ve got this historic club that has basically got this inbuilt resilience in this competition that punches well above its actual ability.
“Real Madrid were on the canvas a couple of times, but they got up, and that is the thing Pep will fear most.
“However well City play, however good their football is, how much possession they keep, there will be a dangerous beast facing them that doesn’t know how to give in, how to stop, or call it a day. That is what is coming on Wednesday.”
Man City or Madrid will play Liverpool in the final in Paris later this month. The Reds beat Villarreal 3-2 with a second-half comeback after squandering their 2-0 advantage from the first leg.
Neville warns Man City of Champions League danger
Liverpool subsequently kept their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive.
Man City, meanwhile, are seeking a Champions League and Premier League double. And while the Premier League is in their hands, Neville warned that defeat to Madrid could derail their season entirely.
“Whereas Liverpool need a goal, Manchester City need the performance of their lives in the Bernabeu,” Neville added.
“This game will have huge impact on Manchester City for the rest of the season, because if they do go out on Wednesday after losing last season’s final to Chelsea disappointingly, there will be a drain on Pep Guardiola and what he and the players want to achieve. It’s a big week.”
City result could go either way
City will fancy their chances of scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu. Indeed, Chelsea netted three there in the quarter-final second leg.
Madrid are unlikely to dominate the match. Still, they have proved that they can produce outstanding moments throughout a match.
Benzema has scored from half-chances throughout the knockout stages and will be looking to add to his tally of 42 this term.
City, though, have the firepower to score at will at the other end and so another fantastic Champions League clash is on the cards.
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Jonny Whitfield
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