City want passion and poise against Real Madrid
Monday, April 25, 2016
Article summary
"We need a hot heart and a cold mind," Manuel Pellegrini told his Manchester City side ahead of a meeting with a Real Madrid team who believe they are peaking.
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Article body
- Manuel Pellegrini, up against former club, says City "need our emotions under control"
- City unbeaten in seven; Real Madrid on five-game winning streak
- Cristiano Ronaldo expected to play after missing weekend match
- Yaya Touré the only significant absentee for City
- Zinédine Zidane says Madrid could be in best form of 2015/16
Possible lineups
Man. City: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Kompany, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho; Navas, De Bruyne, Silva; Agüero.
Out: Touré (muscular problem)
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Out: Lazo (suspended)
Doubtful: none
Manuel Pellegrini, Man. City manager
It's very important to enjoy the semi-final as it's not something we achieve every year. The players know that. It's important not to be comfortable because we're at this stage. Everyone wants to continue, to play the final. We'll see a City team that will play to win.
We won't just try to defend to reach the final. I have always tried to have a team who play good football, play well. We need a hot heart and a cold mind ... We need our emotions under control.
Zinédine Zidane, Real Madrid coach
We are in a decent vein of form, probably the best of the season. We are going to do the best we possibly can to score and try not to concede. It's a game and tie that is 50/50. You can prepare all you want for a big game but then the game can turn out totally different to how you envisaged it. The important thing is to give 150%.
Our opponents are a great side. If you give them space they can hurt you. The players get between the lines and cause problems. When we've not got the ball we must keep it tight and defend; when we have the ball we'll try and hurt them. The players are really focused. In 2014, there was a similar atmosphere in the dressing room.
Weekend results
Manchester City 4-0 Stoke City (Fernando 35, Agüero 43pen, Iheanacho 64 74)
Fernando headed Pellegrini's side in front, before Sergio Agüero made it 2-0 from the penalty spot following a foul on Kelechi Iheanacho. The 19-year-old went on to steal the show, scoring from close range before rounding the keeper to cap off a 4-0 victory.
Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Real Madrid (Embarba 7, Miku 14; Bale 35 81, Lucas Vázquez 52)
Real Madrid recovered from going 2-0 down inside 14 minutes to earn a fifth successive win in all competitions. Embarba and Miku struck for the hosts, but a Ronaldo-less Madrid rallied, Gareth Bale halving the deficit with a header before the break. Lucas Vázquez – a first-half replacement for Karim Benzema – then nodded Zidane's team level, before Bale's low finish on 81 minutes sealed a 3-2 triumph.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
City: WDWWWD
Real Madrid: WWWWWL
Reporter's view: Tom Kell (@UEFAcomTomK)
The odds are stacked against City, no doubt. Their lack of experience at this stage could well be telling, while their defence – even if it has been steadied by captain Vincent Kompany's recent return – will have its work cut out against a Madrid side who have scored 18 goals in their last five fixtures. However, let us not forget amid all the talk of Ronaldo, Bale et al that City have their very own bona fide, match-winning superstar. Agüero has netted in four of his last five appearances and, when fit and firing, always ensures they have more than a sniff.
Did you know?
City manager Pellegrini was in charge of Madrid in 2009/10 yet was replaced despite achieving a then-club record of how many Liga points? Find the answer, as well as various other facts and stats, in our extensive match background.