Phil Foden is positive with Man City to get to UCL final round. Manchester City, who are presently in first place in the Premier League, have a chance to win the Champions League for the first time this year. The opening leg of their semifinal match against Real Madrid is scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Last year, City was eliminated from the competition in the semifinals by Los Blancos. Although they won the first leg at the Etihad, they faltered late in Spain, allowing Real Madrid to finish their comeback and advance to the championship game. The team led by Carlo Ancelotti went on to defeat Liverpool 1-0 to win the record-extending 14th championship.
Foden remarked that the Cityzens squad had a high level of confidence and belief despite the events of the previous year prior to the match with the La Liga giants.
Through the Manchester Evening News, he stated: “I believe [our chances] are good; we need to be optimistic. We must have confidence in ourselves. We’ve already demonstrated that we can advance to these stages by reaching the final, so perhaps we can keep moving in the right way.”
He added: “I still love (Real) Madrid away, even though we lost. The setting and playing at such a unique arena. Even though the game obviously didn’t go as planned, I thoroughly enjoyed every second. However, just the act of performing there was fantastic.”
Kevin De Bruyne, the captain of Manchester City, recognized the significance of the contest with Real Madrid. The squad, he continued, will prepare as usual without becoming overwhelmed by the situation.
He added: “We are aware that some games may seem more significant than others, but the preparation is always the same.”
City comes into this game off a tenacious 2-1 league victory over Leeds United. Los Blancos’ most recent game saw them overcome Osasuna 2-1 in the Copa del Rey championship.
Prior to Manchester City’s matchup with Real Madrid, Rodri urges concentration:
Rodri, a midfielder for Manchester City, concurred with Phil Foden’s remarks. The Spaniard claimed that his desire to compete in the UEFA Champions League final was what drove him personally to assist his team in defeating Real Madrid.
He was on the team when City faced Chelsea in the 2021 championship game, however, he was benched for the game, which his club lost 1-0. In his words:
“It’s always available. I mean, opportunities are always present. We must put our attention on ourselves, proceed cautiously, and avoid thinking too much about the future. However, if we want to compete for (and ultimately win) the Champions League, we must obviously perform well.”
He added: “The Champions League final has to be [the dream], of course. We had the opportunity to compete in one final; however, since I didn’t play for the team, I hope we will have another opportunity in the future.”
On May 17, the Etihad will host the second leg of the Champions League match between Manchester City and Real Madrid.