Joe shows hart
Manchester City goalkeeper stands his ground against Real leaving CL semi-final tie delicately poised.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini vowed that his team would play with no fear in their Champions League semifinal second leg against Real Madrid following a 0-0 first-leg draw.
Missing the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid created the better chances in Tuesday’s game, but substitute Jese saw a header hit the bar and City goalkeeper Joe Hart produced late saves to thwart Casemiro and Pepe.
“I don’t think they are favourites,” said the Chilean, who was sacked after only one season as Madrid head coach in 2010. “We have the same option as Real Madrid. Of course they have the advantage to play the first game away, so they try to manage the tempo of the game.
“After that they finish at home. But this team play away very similar to how we play at the Etihad. We had good results playing away against Paris Saint-Germain, against Dynamo Kiev and against Sevilla. “We are not afraid to go to the Bernabeu and we will see which team plays better in that game.”
Pellegrini claimed that his side had shown the “most intent to win the game” and that Madrid had arrived at the Etihad Stadium “with a result in mind”.
His opposite number, Zinedine Zidane, contested the claim, asserting that his team “always go out to win”, but he agreed that neither side had procured an outright advantage.
“We could have scored a goal, but even with scoring a goal we would not have been sure of being in the final,” said the Frenchman. “I think it is still 50-50. We have got a game at home. We know what we are capable of. Right until the death it will be the same. We have to work hard.”
Both teams have fitness concerns ahead of the second leg, but Zidane was upbeat about both Ronaldo, who missed out with a thigh strain, and Karim Benzema, who went off at half-time due to a knee problem.
“We hope that they can both be in the second leg,” he said.
Hart was typically bullish, buoyed by two late saves that saw him thwart Casemiro and then Pepe from pointblank range. “We’ve set it up for a good, old-fashioned rumble at the Bernabeu,” he said. “We are not disappointed with the result. Bring it on.”
Bale, meanwhile, backed the Bernabeu crowd to make their presence felt. “We’re quite happy with it,” Bale said. “We’re very, very strong at home. The crowd gets behind us. It’s going to be a difficult game, we know that, but one we’re confident about and looking forward to.”
City skipper Vincent Kompany is convinced City will score at the Bernabeu. “We’re always looking to score goals,” said Kompany. “If we don’t manage to score a goal, what claims can we make for going to the final?”
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini vowed that his team would play with no fear in their Champions League semifinal second leg against Real Madrid following a 0-0 first-leg draw.
Missing the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid created the better chances in Tuesday’s game, but substitute Jese saw a header hit the bar and City goalkeeper Joe Hart produced late saves to thwart Casemiro and Pepe.
City, appearing in their first semifinal, did not work visiting goalkeeper Keylor Navas until Kevin De Bruyne found the target with a stoppage-time free-kick, but Pellegrini said that his side would show a greater cutting edge in next week’s return leg in the Spanish capital.
“I don’t think they are favourites,” said the Chilean, who was sacked after only one season as Madrid head coach in 2010. “We have the same option as Real Madrid. Of course they have the advantage to play the first game away, so they try to manage the tempo of the game.
“After that they finish at home. But this team play away very similar to how we play at the Etihad. We had good results playing away against Paris Saint-Germain, against Dynamo Kiev and against Sevilla. “We are not afraid to go to the Bernabeu and we will see which team plays better in that game.”
Pellegrini claimed that his side had shown the “most intent to win the game” and that Madrid had arrived at the Etihad Stadium “with a result in mind”.
His opposite number, Zinedine Zidane, contested the claim, asserting that his team “always go out to win”, but he agreed that neither side had procured an outright advantage.
“We could have scored a goal, but even with scoring a goal we would not have been sure of being in the final,” said the Frenchman. “I think it is still 50-50. We have got a game at home. We know what we are capable of. Right until the death it will be the same. We have to work hard.”
Both teams have fitness concerns ahead of the second leg, but Zidane was upbeat about both Ronaldo, who missed out with a thigh strain, and Karim Benzema, who went off at half-time due to a knee problem.
“We hope that they can both be in the second leg,” he said.
Hart was typically bullish, buoyed by two late saves that saw him thwart Casemiro and then Pepe from pointblank range. “We’ve set it up for a good, old-fashioned rumble at the Bernabeu,” he said. “We are not disappointed with the result. Bring it on.”
Bale, meanwhile, backed the Bernabeu crowd to make their presence felt. “We’re quite happy with it,” Bale said. “We’re very, very strong at home. The crowd gets behind us. It’s going to be a difficult game, we know that, but one we’re confident about and looking forward to.”
City skipper Vincent Kompany is convinced City will score at the Bernabeu. “We’re always looking to score goals,” said Kompany. “If we don’t manage to score a goal, what claims can we make for going to the final?”
