MADRID (AP) — One of the Champions League's newest rivalries resumes this week with Real Madrid hoping to take advantage of the extended rest it's had ahead of Tuesday's quarterfinal against Manchester City.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, entering his record-extending 200th Champions League match, has had eight full days to prepare his squad for facing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for the third straight year in the knockout rounds of Europe’s top club competition.
City, meanwhile, played on Saturday at Crystal Palace in the Premier League and Guardiola wasn't happy about the considerable difference in the teams' preparation time. Madrid’s last Spanish league match was on March 31, a 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. Madrid didn’t have to play this past weekend as the Spanish calendar was reserved for the Copa del Rey final.
Ancelotti said Monday he is not going to make any “rare” changes to his team or try anything too different tactically because of the extra time he had to prepare.
“It is an incredibly attractive match,” he said. "The quality of both sides will allow us to watch a beautiful match at a technical level. We think we will be better than City in some aspects and they think they will be better than us in others. After the end of the 180 minutes we will see which team prevails.”
Madrid eliminated City two seasons ago with a late comeback in the second leg of the semifinals at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, where it hasn’t lost in 27 straight games in all competitions dating back to last April.
But City got the better of Madrid last season, advancing after a 4-0 rout in the second leg of the semifinals at home. Both clubs went on to win the Champions League title after eliminating their rival.
The last four matches between the clubs produced 17 goals in total. They will have faced each other 12 times in 12 years after this season’s quarterfinals. So far there are four wins for City and three for Madrid, with three draws.
Both teams are trying to reach the semifinals of the Champions League for the fourth straight time.
CITY'S INJURIES
City has injury concerns at full back for the game in Madrid, with captain and first-choice right back Kyle Walker hurt on England duty in the recent international break and Guardiola’s two main options at left back — Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol — picking up injuries since the resumption of the Premier League.
None of Walker, Ake or Gvardiol were spotted in training on Monday, likely leaving Guardiola having to play 19-year-old Rico Lewis at right back and Manuel Akanji out of position at left back.
“They have some setbacks but have managed them well,” Ancelotti said. “They are solid in defense, this is not going to affect them.”
ANCELOTTI’S MILESTONE
Ancelotti arrives as the coach with most Champions League titles (four) and victories (114), and he will be reaching his milestone 200th game in charge at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
It will be the 59th game in the Madrid dugout for the 64-year-old Italian, who is in his 21st Champions League season.
“Reaching 200 games means a lot,” Ancelotti said. "Surviving so many years in football, especially at my age, is a success.”
Guardiola has the second most Champions League victories as a coach, with 109 wins in 167 appearances.
BELLINGHAM VS CITY
Ancelotti will try to win his third Champions League title with Madrid with a squad that this season was boosted by the signing of Jude Bellingham.
The young England midfielder has never played in the Premier League, having joined Borussia Dortmund at an early age, but he has faced Man City four times and scored twice against the English side.
Bellingham has 20 goals and 10 assists since joining Madrid and is one of the club’s top attacking weapons this season along with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo.
“Bellingham’s impact has been massive,” Guardiola said “It’s a different team from last season. His influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it. Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club and in this competition they can control many things with the experience they have in the past.”
RUDIGER VS HAALAND
Madrid and Man City drew 1-1 in the first leg at the Bernabeu last season in a match marked by the duel between Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger and Man City striker Erling Haaland, who was the Champions League’s leading scorer at the time.
But Rüdiger and Madrid's defense made sure Haaland wasn’t a factor, and the Norway international got only a few touches throughout the match.
“I think we did a great job controlling Haaland, who didn’t receive many passes,” Rüdiger said. “For this game it will be the same plan.”
AP Sports Writer Steve Douglas contributed to this report.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park stadium in London, Saturday, April 6, 2024.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Real Madrid's Rodrygo celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/M. Gracia Jimenez)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park stadium in London, Saturday, April 6, 2024.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
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TOP STORIES
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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MORE NEWS
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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS
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NATIONAL
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INTERNATIONAL
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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BUSINESS
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ENTERTAINMENT
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SPORTS
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