Less than a year ago, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 4-0 in the last season’s semi-final tie. This humiliating loss did not deter the Los Blancos players from maintaining their class ahead of this season’s meeting. Young stars like Vinicius Junior, Eduardo Camavinga, and Jude Bellingham, who has quickly adopted the practices of his Santiago Bernabeu team-mates, were seen in the Blues’ tunnel with the City crest printed on the floor. Bellingham, in particular, is eager to win his first-ever Champions League title and continue Real Madrid’s tradition by helping the club reach their 12th Champions League semi-final in 14 seasons.
Before the match against City, Bellingham expressed his decision to join Real Madrid last summer, highlighting the club’s size, project, and the opportunity to play with amazing players as key factors in his decision. Real Madrid is determined to be the first team in 22 attempts to defeat City in the Champions League, while a win for City would bring them closer to Manchester United’s record for the longest unbeaten streak by an English club in continental history.