While Real Madrid continues to train in Valdebebas, to prepare carefully for the attack on Guardiola’s expensive team, Man City continues to stun with a trip to Crystal Palace.

At a time when coach Pep Guardiola and his team had to play their third match within a week in London, Real Madrid completed its fourth training session last Saturday, with much less physical damage.

Threat from Man City

“If the 4 goals that the English champions’ stars scored against Aston Villa made me worried, I will not deny that the 4 goals they scored in the match against Crystal Palace scared me more.” , journalist Tomas Roncero commented in the AS daily newspaper.

He even ignored that Erling Haaland ended his scoring drought in this match and that the veteran journalist’s goal for the Galaxy was to stop Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri. Coach Pep Guardiola felt there was no problem leaving Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, who scored a hat-trick in the win over Aston Villa, on the bench.

Of course it is, because what’s scary is the class of De Bruyne and Rodri. The Belgian midfielder and his teammate, who has roots in the capital Madrid, gave a master class on how to operate a complex machine wisely and efficiently. Especially De Bruyne, who scored a classy goal to equalize 1-1 for The Citizens and help his teammates stand up in the storm.

And Rodri is a powerful, efficient and reliable compass needle. Most of us can think of the Italian strategist spending more time finding a way to neutralize this pair of architects than obsessing over the giant Norwegian striker, Bernardo Silva. or Phil Foden.

If the Citizens’ tactical and conceptual connection is severed, by stopping De Bruyne and Rodri, Real Madrid will benefit greatly. Let’s not forget that last season, the Galaxy managed to prevent Haaland from scoring at the Bernabeu or at the Etihad, but in the end goalkeeper Courtois conceded 5 times in two matches.

It was a painful lesson for Carlo Ancelotti and his stars. But this is a team that has won 14 championships in this tournament and they themselves are a fear for their opponents!

Ancelotti’s preparation

If there is anything other than experience in the Champions League, the other factor that Real Madrid is rated higher than the reigning European champions is physical strength. 10 days of rest to prepare for the reception of opponents who play 3 days per match is an advantage that cannot be ignored.

During last Saturday’s training session, the Italian strategist made tactical adjustments, practiced strategic operations and played on a small field with high intensity. This is the moment when the Galaxy enters the final phase of the long preparation process for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. In just six days, Pep Guardiola’s team played two Premier League matches with the pressure of chasing their opponents in the title race, causing more wear and tear on the Santpedor strategist’s players before the night’s match. Next Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid was completely at ease at the top of the table and during that time, Carlo Ancelotti had time for the players to recover their physical strength first. He let the players rest for two and a half days, at the same time. Prepare both tactically and physically for the match. On Saturday, he and his students studied Man City’s match, and found that, with Pep Guardiola’s physically exhausted stars, a match with high speed and intensity continuously, sooner or later, the opponent will collapse.

Real Madrid will give the English champions a miserable night like they endured against Liverpool two weeks ago in the Premier League. The coach affectionately known as Carletto already has his squad in mind and now there is only one doubt that needs to be clarified: Will he bet on Nacho to start in the center of defense, or will he use the new Militao as well? return after injury. Either let Tchouameni play in the midfield anchor position or arrange Camavinga in that position.