Champions League s/final preview: Real Madrid vs Man City, Villarreal vs Liverpool

After 11 gruelling games over seven months, two out of four clubs are just a game away from playing their 13th European game of the 2021/2022 season: the UEFA Champions League Final.

Manchester City and Liverpool are the English representatives in this battle royale, while Real Madrid and Villarreal represent the Spanish “Armada” on the football pitch. All four teams have, before the semifinals, had a sterling run in Europe’s elite club competition.

However, there is no margin for error for these clubs in this competition’s upcoming semi-final second leg fixtures, in what is a fixture between England vs Spain. City hold a narrow 4-3 lead against Madrid, while Liverpool have a comfortable 2-0 lead against Villarreal.

But there are only two spots available for what is expected to be a magnificent finale at the Stade de France on 28 May. Which of these four teams will make it to the final of, unarguably, the most prestigious club competition in the world.

This piece, therefore, previews the highly-anticipated semi-final second leg fixtures.

Villarreal vs Liverpool (0-2 agg; 3 May)

A lot of people may think that this contest has been effectively decided, but one thing the Champions League has taught football watchers over the years is that expected the unexpected, and Liverpool can conspicuously relate to that with their 2005 triumph.

Liverpool are in the hunt for the quadruple and succinctly displayed their title-winning credentials with a masterful performance at Anfield on 27 April. Even with the score at 0-0 after halftime, The Reds did not panic, continued to play their attractive, high-tempo style of football and eventually got their reward with the goals. Manager Jurgen Klopp has an expansive squad of players to call on and he has utilised them effectively so far.

Key to Liverpool’s success upfront is the way Klopp has rotated his frontmen: Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino. They have created 683 attacks in 11 games and scored 27 goals, making them the second-highest scoring team remaining in the competition. However, a fundamental feature of the club’s gameplay has been the performance of Thiago Alcântara in midfield. The Spanish international dictated the tempo of the semifinal first leg as he made 103 passes on the night, misplacing just four of them, and registered a 96 per cent passing accuracy rate.

On the other hand, Villarreal are the dark force of this fascinating competition. They defeated Juventus (second round) and Bayern Minich (quarter-final), two giants of European football, to reach the semifinal. They are currently seventh in the La Liga and seem to be punching above their weight in Europe with stunning performances.

But the Yellow Submarines could not hold their own despite what can be described as a spirited defensive showing last week Wednesday. They barely registered just one shot, which was not on target; ceded possession and made fewer passes on the night. This could have occurred due to their defensive setup, which nullified the threat that the frontline could possess and hurt their more illustrious neighbours. The absence of star striker, Gerard Moreno, through injury also blighted their chances.

Second leg tactical expectations

The onus lies on Villarreal at home to attack and get the goals to either tie the game and force it into extra time or outscore their opponents to win outrightly. Their cup competitions’ specialist manager, Unai Emery, will have to ditch his crumpled defensive strategy for a more offensive plan. That would require him to change the 4-4-2 formation used for the semifinal first leg to his more conventional 4-3-3. The Spanish team is the least scoring side still in the competition with 18 goals and will have to create more opportunities to get the ball at the back of the net.

Creating the goalscoring chances should be the forte of Giovanni Lo Celso, Daniel Parejo, and either Étienne Capoue or Francis Coquelin. The change of the formation should also enable Nigerian winger, Samuel Chukwueze, to operate from his preferred position on the right. Although very gifted, Chukwueze has on a number of occasions tended to be indecisive with his decision-making. However, he has to be efficient this time because if he is successful against Liverpool’s flying left-back, Andrew Robertson, he could create space and launch munch-needed attacks for Villareal.

If Moreno recovers from his hamstring injury and recovers, it will be important for the Spanish side as they will have a focal point in the attack to worry their opponent’s centre backs either by him challenging for long balls or reaching for through passes.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are in the driving seat and do not need to change much. Their forwards are expected to intensify their attacks and score more goals, the midfield will likely try to assert control of the game through the tempo, while the surging fullbacks attempt to provide valuable assists for their frontline.

However, one area of defect that has been noticed in the English club is the lack of concentration in defence. Their defenders, especially Ibrahim Konate, tend to switch off, with their positioning suspect, sometimes during the game. This is one area they must be careful over. Also, while they enjoy their booming runs forward, Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold should also remember that, first of all, they are defenders and should, therefore, concentrate on their primary responsibilities. Any lacuna identified by their opponents, especially space from the defensive wings, may be fully exploited.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City (3-4 agg; 4 May)

Based on what happened during the first leg, two phrases can aptly describe both Madrid and Man City: leaky defence and high-scoring machines. The defence of both teams was inconsistent as they could barely keep their goalposts sealed.

For City, manager Pep Guardiola will attribute the non-stability during the first leg on 26 April to the absence of a recognised right-back. Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker, the regular right-backs, were unavailable due to suspension and injury, respectively, and this had a considerable impact on their defence. Two of the three goals – particularly the first and second goals – the English club conceded came from poor defending on the right side of the defence.

Despite their shaky defence, evidenced by the number of goals they have conceded this season: 13, Man City have shown that they are an attacking powerhouse. With 28 goals in the kitty so far, the English club are the highest-scoring side still in the competition. Their goals, as the first leg revealed, are scored by various players and the team, unlike their opponents, are not dependent on a particular player to bang the goals.

Real Madrid under manager Carlo Ancelotti this season are reputed to play a laissez-faire or carefree style of football, and that has hurt them at certain times this season, including the Champions League semi-final first leg. Furthermore, the absence of defensive midfield stalwart, Casmiero, left their midfield open and exposed their fragile centre defence.

But they are still in the tie mainly due to one man: Karim Benzema. The French forward has scored 14 goals in this season’s competition, emerging as both the club and tournament’s highest goalscorer. Averaging 1.4 goals per match for the Los Blancos, Benzema has saved the blushes of the most successful club in Champions League history when they are unimpressive, just as he did with his cheeky “Panenka” penalty against a frustrated Ederson in goal.

Second leg tactical expectations

With no room for error, as previously stated, both City and Madrid should, barring any circumstances, field their strongest team. City should have either or both Walker and Cancelo available to shore up their backline. Having both players available will be a huge boost for Guardiola as Cancelo would be expected to start at left-back (for Zinchenko), thereby providing another attacking outlet.

Also, their attacking quintet (when you add the two attacking midfielders) are expected to be more coordinated and ruthless in front of goal. The scenario in which Riyad Mahrez decided not to pass to Phil Foden, who was unmarked and in a much better position to score a goal, during the first leg is one that Guardiola, who was captured screaming over the lost opportunity, will hope not to repeat itself. Asides from Benzema, one of the major reasons in which this tie is still a contest is because City lost numerous chances in the first half of the first leg. Therefore, they must convert all their chances created.

More importantly, City must revive that strong-willed spirit which they exhibited in their quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid to progress. While Real’s gameplay may not be as boorish as their city neighbours, the defending English champions must prepare for any eventuality, including coarse play by their opponents and a hostile environment at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

On the other hand, Ancelotti must urgently resolve the centreback quagmire that almost cost them their second-round encounter against Paris Saint-Germain and played a pivotal role in the semifinal first leg. David Alaba was gotten from Bayern Munich as a central defender, but the Austrian player has been a disaster in that position for Madrid. Alaba lacks the pace and the agility of a centre back and, unlike at Bayern, his fragilities are exposed by his midfielders. The gaffer would, therefore, help his team’s cause if he moves Alaba to his initial left-back position where he is well-suited to defend against Mahrez and provide the surging runs and forward balls, while Eder Militao and Nacho play at centreback.

Secondly, the Italian manager should instruct his midfielders to play a bit closer together to cover their weakness. With Casemiro set to return, the Brazilian enigma should provide solidity in the centre of the park. The midfield trio in Ancelotti’s 4-3-3 formation must work hard to prevent the likes of Bernando Silva, Kelvin de Bruyne and Foden from roaming majestically and playing in between the lines by cutting the supply line.

Finally, the likes of Modric, Kroos, Vinicius Junior and whoever is chosen to play on the right side of the attack have just one job to do while on their attacking duties: FEED THE BALL TO BENZEMA!