Manchester City missed golden opportunity against 'poor' Real Madrid, says Guillem Balague
Thursday 5 May 2016 17:00, UK
Manchester City missed a golden opportunity to make the Champions League final against "the worst Real Madrid side in recent history", according to Guillem Balague.
After the first leg at the Etihad ended in a 0-0 draw, Fernando's 20th-minute own goal eliminated the last Premier League side in the competition and sent Real through to a Madrid derby final.
Sky Sports' Spanish football expert was critical of both sides' performance in the semi-final tie - and does not rate Real's chances of beating local rivals Atletico Madrid in the Milan showdown later this month.
Balague also reflects on Manuel Pellegrini's time as City boss ahead of his summer departure...
'Man City could have beaten Real Madrid'
Manchester City lost a golden opportunity to get to the Champions League final. This is the worst Real Madrid side in recent history. Last year, it was a better Real Madrid. They managed to get 22 consecutive victories the year before, and one year before that they won the Champions League. Any Real Madrid team under Jose Mourinho would also have beaten this one. It's a poor Real Madrid.
In my eyes, before the game, they were the fourth-worst team in the semi-finals. There were so many problems, so many ways they could be beaten, that it felt like an organised team who could create enough danger - say by a decent Kevin de Bruyne or Sergio Aguero move - could have beaten them.
Although not very often, Manchester City have shown this season that their best version can beat almost anybody. But I was wrong - Real Madrid were only the third worst side in these semi-finals.
'How is it possible that there are not better sides?'
I don't think what happened in this tie was a reflection of the Spanish league versus the English league. I feel Leicester City would have created many more problems for Real Madrid, but it certainly showed us a very poor Manchester City, who hardly had a shot on goal against the eighth-worst defence in La Liga.
Real Madrid, who missed Casemiro especially in the second half, defended far too deep after scoring the goal, partly because they were scared one City goal would have knocked them out and partly because Toni Kroos could not do Casemiro's job of being aggressive in pressurising and pushing the team further up. Real gave the ball to City and the result was very disappointing - no penetration, slow movement, no running of the ball, nothing.
It is just a bad reflection on the Champions League this season that you get these two poor teams at this stage. How is it possible that there's not better sides? What makes it worse is the contrast between these sides and the other two in the draw. Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid have got a clear idea of what they want to do, based on repetitive training sessions, interventionist coaches and blind faith from the players in their leaders on the bench.
Manchester City and Real Madrid base their football on very similar ideas. It is all player-based - they organise themselves with six or seven behind the ball and then when they have possession, it's about individual talent and the quality of the players. There's no organised attack and not enough team effort.
'Pellegrini hasn't made this side his own'
What was worrying is that there was not even an organised defence at the end; I couldn't tell you what the style of Manchester City is, based on these two semi-finals. I don't know if they want the ball or not and I don't know how they defend. I'm very confused and disappointed because I do think Manuel Pellegrini is a good coach, but it doesn't seem like he has made this side his own - it doesn't look anything like the Malaga side or the Villarreal side that made him famous.
For me, it is a team without personality, without style and they showed it very clearly in this tie. The ones who were supposed to be the stars of the team were missing - like Aguero, De Bruyne and Yaya Toure - and were miles away from making any impact whatsoever. I disagree with Pellegrini, I don't think they deserved to draw and I think Real Madrid had more chances and created enough to go through, but this Real side are miles away from Atletico Madrid as it stands.
'Ronaldo is diminishing while Bale's star is growing'
Cristiano Ronaldo was obviously not 100 per cent as he admitted himself after the game, and will be better for the final of course, but his impact has been reduced this season. Even though he is still scoring in the games, you don't see so much of him.
Manchester City lost a golden opportunity to get to the Champions League final. This is the worst Real Madrid side in recent history.
But the good news is Gareth Bale has risen to the occasion right at the end of the season. It's pleasing to see and I fully agree with him that he better understands his role and what he has to do. He now knows when he has to pass, when he has to dribble, when he has to go one versus one, and so on. And that can only be good for Real Madrid - just at a time the star of Ronaldo is diminishing while Bale's star is growing.
I think that is why Bale is now considering renewing his contract because he feels that Ronaldo - now his role is reducing - has been forced to let him grow. Either he has been forced or he accepts that now Bale is a star as well. Whatever the reason, it makes Bale more comfortable and having Karim Benzema makes the team more complete, but I feel it's still miles away from what Atletico Madrid can offer.
'It will be Atletico's night'
People may disagree with me, but I think Bayern Munich were the best of the four teams that were left in the competition. I think they are more complete in the way they defend and attack, but that is why we love football. Atletico Madrid did what they had to do and got through. Now they are, in my eyes, favourites to win it and have lost just once to Real over the last two seasons - winning five and drawing three.
I spoke to Koke during the season and I knew that they had in their heads the defeat against Real Madrid for two years so they put a lot of energy in returning to a final to just get rid of that bad dream. I am convinced in Milan, it will be their night.
