Erling Haaland can be the Manchester City wrecking ball that knocks Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
The Norwegian has failed to score against the 15-time kings of Europe in four previous meetings – but Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has massive defensive problems ahead of his team’s trip to the Etihad on Tuesday night. Former Madrid and City midfielder Steve McManaman reckons Haaland will never have a better chance to deliver against the club that coveted him before he decided to commit the peak years of his career to the Blues.
Pep Guardiola also has issues to solve at the back – and McManaman reckons it could be a case of attack being the best form of defence in both legs of a play-off that will see one of the pre-tournament favourites eliminated early.
McManaman said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Manchester City – and Erling Haaland will never have a better chance than this to show Madrid what they’re missing.
“Let’s be honest, this isn’t the Real Madrid of last season. They’re a team that’s been torn apart by defensive problems. And if you’ve got one of the greatest goalscorers in the game coming up against a group of makeshift defenders, then that’s a dream scenario that City have to exploit – and Haaland in particular.
“He hasn’t scored a goal against Madrid yet – and that will bother him because he is a player who lives to put the ball in the back of the net. It looks like Ancelotti will be forced to play (Raul) Asencio and (Aurelien) Tchouameni in central defence and perhaps (Fede) Valverde at right-back.
“Of course, City have had their problems with injuries as well this season – but they have got to be big favourites for the game at the Etihad. For Madrid, it will be a case of damage limitation and the chance of keeping the tie alive going back to the Bernabeu.”
Madrid are still setting the pace in La Liga despite losing defensive stalwarts Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao for the season with cruciate injuries, while Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are expected to miss both legs with muscle problems. Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe should shake off minor knocks to make the trip to Manchester.
City boss Guardiola may live to regret allowing Kyle Walker to join AC Milan with Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior desperate to prove that he was a more deserving Ballon D’or winner than the Blues’ injured midfield enforcer, Rodri. McManaman, a two-time Champions League winner with Madrid, said: “If Vini Junior has any designs on winning the Ballon d’Or this year then he can’t get knocked out of the Champions League in February.
“He’s missed a number of games through suspension this season – and he has to sort his discipline out. There’s a suggestion that losing out to Rodri had a negative effect on him, but if Madrid are to go through they will need Vini at his best.
“His one-one-one battles with Kyle over the last few years have been wonderful to watch and if Pep uses Matheus Nunes at right-back then it could be a mis-match. Nunes will need his midfielders and his right-sided centre-back to really help him out, especially if Mbappe also drifts over to the left.”
McManaman added “As we have seen when City have played Madrid in the past, crazy things can happen – especially in the Bernabeu. If Carlo can take his team back from Manchester with the tie still in the balance, he’ll be delighted. With that in mind I can see him leaving Mbappe on the bench and starting with Vini and Rodrygo up front and Bellingham in behind.
“It would be a huge gamble to name all four of them in the team because they just don’t do enough running when they haven’t got the ball.”
Watch the UEFA Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Offs, including the all-important second leg of Real Madrid v Manchester City on Wednesday 19th February, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, the home of European football
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