The Etihad Stadium, Real Madrid’s biggest challenge

Three defeats in their last three visits. There has been no success in the past five out of twelve years where the real Madrid relate the Etihad Stadium to bad news. Eight goals have been conceded in their last two games at Pep Guardiola’s temple. Where is he City of Manchester unbeaten in 41 games. This is the big challenge that the king of competition has to overcome.

It is the stadium of the dominant English football teams that competes with Real Madrid. He didn’t win either Arsenal in the old one Highbury, where he signed a draw. But he won twice Anfield, every time he steps on it. In another two of five visits to Manchester United’s ‘Theatre of Dreams’. Also two recent joys Stamford Bridge. The Etihad is land to conquer.

Only San Sirowhere Real Madrid lost to Milan in their first five games in European Cup and tied with the last two, its visitor numbers are getting worse compared to Etihad Stadiuma scenario where they were unable to win in five matches.

With a recent bad memory that you want to erase from your memory. The unappealable 4-0 of the last semi-finals, on a day in which Real Madrid did not compete and Carlo Ancelotti left a failed strategy. In Eduardo Camavinga held on one knee on the left side. If not Antonio Rudiger which dried up to a tie, one goal behind the Santiago Bernabéu Erling Haaland. Without a defensive midfielder like Aurélien Tchouaméni.

A double of Bernard Silva In the first half, it was a blow to which there was no response this time from a team accustomed to performing feats in Europe. Pretty much at your own door Eder Militao and the brooch Julian Alvarez, shaped one of Real Madrid’s dark nights in the Champions League. The heaviest defeat for ‘Carletto’ on the Madrid bench, where he has a chance to take revenge.

The Etihad has been the scene of Real Madrid’s two eliminations from the Champions League, in 2020 and 2023, and it is heading for a cursed stadium if the counterattack capacity of Vinicius, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham They didn’t avoid it in City’s sixth home visit.

Situation where the real Madrid He experienced a strange sense of inferiority that was not common. It toured his body at the beginning of August 2020, in the Champions League of the pandemic that interrupted the dates when the coronavirus stopped football.

It took more than five months to separate the two games in which the team then led Zinedine Zidane, fell for the same result. Both at the Santiago Bernabéu and at the Etihad (2-1), with no option for the return due to two serious mistakes by a hesitant player. Raphael Varane which buried the hope of the bond that was signed Karim Benzema.

Until then, despite not winning in Manchester, Real Madrid dominated the duels. He has never lost an official match. Winner of two matches at Bernabéu, signing two draws on their first dates at Etihad. The debut was in November 2012, when he achieved a victory prevented by Argentine ‘Kun’ Agüero from a penalty after Benzema’s early goal (1-1).

There was no goal in the reunion four years later, in the first leg of the semifinals in 2016, in a serious match that gave way to a tension-filled rivalry at the Bernabéu. The fate factor decided the return when the Brazilian Fernando scored his own goal after a cross from the Welshman Gareth Bale who ended up in Joe Hart’s squad. The last one in Chile Manuel Pelligrini in the ‘people’s’ bank.

The arrival of Pep Guardiola gave a turn to the confrontation. Since he led City, the Manchester team has lost just one game in seven, and in extra time. He won four and tied two. After Varane’s worst night, at the Etihad he beat the real Madrid after a survival exercise by Ancelotti’s men who were 2-0 down inside eleven minutes thanks to goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus, which Benzema saved before the break.

Every blow of City’s second act was answered by the Madridistas. Vinicius and Benzema again, from a penalty Panenka Eight minutes from the end, they signed 4-3 leaving the door of hope open before the Bernabéu’s craziest comeback, two goals in less than two minutes of Rodrygo and the attack on the fourteenth.

The numbers playing against real Madrid At the Etihad, where they have drawn two games and lost their last three visits, they have left eleven goals conceded for five scored in the previous five – an average of 2.2 per game -, and only five the favor In two events the champion of fourteen was left without scoring European Cups who faces his greatest challenge.