With Real Madrid’s season getting off to a stuttering start can Manchester City and Roberto Mancini mastermind victory in the Bernabeu; joining Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal as English clubs to achieve the feat in Manchester United’s absence?
Last season proved a slightly too daunting task for Manchester City in the Champions League. The prevalence of perennial Champions League contenders Bayern Munich, dangerous Italian side Napoli and the Spanish outfit Villarreal saw them finish third in the group.
A mediocre Europa League followed in the wake of their Champions League disappointment but this season Manchester City come into the competition with much more ferocity and belief in their abilities to hang tough with and go toe-to-toe with the best.
With the best is exactly what they will do when they go head-to-head with Europe’s biggest giants, Real Madrid. Despite a financial equal; in terms of continental and domestic prestige this is in fact a case of David vs. Goliath.
Yet there may be signs of mammoth chinks in Jose Mourinho’s Madrid armour. The man who preceded him at the helm of Internazionale Roberto Mancini will look forward to clashing with the Portuguese in what should be a real battle of mind games and tactical astuteness in their two Group Stage ties.
Neither have looked solid this season, but while Manchester City have still managed to scrape results against Southampton and Liverpool in unexceptional performances Real Madrid have only performed well in the Super Cup against bitter rivals Barcelona; a fact conceded by Jose Mourinho himself. Madrid have conceded eight points to their El Clasico rival’s and even at this early stage of the season such a margin may prove unbridgeable for the Galacticos.
So can Manchester City take full advantage of this slump?
There appears to be no reason why not with defeats to Getafe and Sevilla amongst Los Merengues sluggish start to the season. Mourinho who is so often indefensibly in full support of his players has unusually come out in criticism of his team for ‘lacking spirit’ so far this term.
Manchester City have looked shaky at the back, but Real Madrid have looked impotent in attack with Sami Khedira also struggling for form in the midfield; something Yaya Toure could capitalise on against a side he often excelled against during his time in Catalonia.
Whether Real’s poor form will only act as an incentive to tear the English side apart however remains to be seen; a worrying thought considering the attacking talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria and Mesut Ozil being at their disposal.
It is the first time the two sides have met in a UEFA Competition and it will hopefully not disappoint as the two champions from the two biggest leagues in world football clash.
The Bernabeu is obviously a difficult place to travel but can Manchester City take advantage of Madrid’s apparent lack of desire and do what their crosstown rivals never have and join Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal as clubs to defeat Real Madrid in their own backyard?
images: © cogocogo, © http://www.flickr.com/photos/rukna/
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