Real Madrid will bank on Jude Bellingham improvement, Kyle Walker not returning
Carlo Ancelotti and his Brazilian striker Rodrygo said the same thing after this six-goal thriller, both admitting that the plan was to go to the Etihad next week with a lead that obliged Manchester City to chase the game and leave space for Real Madrid’s lethal counters.
They failed, just.
‘The idea was to take a small advantage,’ said Carlo Ancelotti. ‘We wanted to go there with the advantage,’ echoed Rodrygo as the trip to the scene of their biggest defeat last season loomed large.
Madrid are now banking on Kyle Walker NOT being fit to return and shackle Vinicius; on Jude Bellingham having a better game than he did at the Bernabeu; and on Eder Militao being ready to play the game of his life having not played 90 minutes for seven months.
Vinicius is now the Champions League top assist provider with five passes to goal and two of them helped Madrid draw level on Tuesday night. Ancelotti exposed City’s weakness down their right by playing Rodrygo wide left but having Vinicius drifting towards the same wing – the boys from Brazil destroyed Manchester City in the first half with Manuel Akanji walking a tightrope from his 37th minute yellow card.
Vinicius was upset when he was taken off with four minutes left, in part it was because he was a caution from missing the second leg. Madrid are praying that he can unleash the same chaos in the second leg without having to face Walker who policed him so well last season.
Bellingham was in the same situation as Vinicius - one yellow from a suspension - and that distraction can’t have helped him on a difficult night when Ancelotti’s tactical rejig left him playing more to the right of the attack than he has been so far this season.
‘He has to be more involved in the creation,’ more said
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