According to former striker Wayne Rooney, Man City will beat Real in the Champions League semi-finals and can match the Man Utd generation that won the treble in the 1998-1999 season.
The two giants of European football met in the semi-finals of last season's Champions League. After a 4-3 win at the Etihad in the first leg, Pep Guardiola's side led 1-0 through Riyad Mahrez towards the end of the second leg at the Bernabeu. But in the 90th and 90+1 minutes, substitute Rodrygo scored twice to send the match into extra time. There, captain Karim Benzema converted a penalty to send Real through to the Champions League final, where they beat Liverpool 1-0 thanks to a Vinicius.
According to Rooney, Man City have changed a lot in the past 12 months, defending better, playing patiently and learning from the failures in the Champions League. "You can never underestimate the experience and history of Real. But I wouldn't bet on them. I believe this is Man City's year," Rooney wrote in The Times .
"Man City will not only beat Real, they will destroy them in the Champions League semi-finals," the former England striker commented. "Of course, I could be wrong. No club has been better at refuting the arguments against them than Carlo Ancelotti's Real in the Champions League. But I just think Man City are on another level."
De Bruyne (left) competes for the ball with Mendy during Man City's 1-3 loss to Real in the second leg of last season's Champions League semi-final. Photo: mancity.com
Rooney believes that the arrival of Erling Haaland has changed the balance between Man City and Real. According to the 37-year-old former striker, if Man City had had Haaland last season, they could have settled the match early and not been overturned by the Spanish Royal team in the final minutes. "How can Real stop Haaland?", Rooney asked. "Real have Antonio Rudiger, a very strong opponent in one-on-one duels. However, I don't think the German defender alone can contain Haaland."
The former Man Utd striker also praised Pep Guardiola's management skills and Man City's impressive form throughout the season. "From the start of the season, I felt this was the season that Guardiola would finally conquer Europe with Man City. And the fantastic football they've been playing in the last few months, and the way they've reached their peak in the final stages, has only reinforced that belief," Rooney commented.
If they beat Real, Man City will continue their ambition to win the treble. They will meet the winner of the Milan - Inter match in the Champions League final, meet Man Utd in the FA Cup final on June 3 and are leading the Premier League with a point ahead of Arsenal and a game in hand. According to Rooney, if they win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup this season, Man City will surpass the 2008 Man Utd team in stature, and even be on par with the Man Utd generation that won the treble in the 1998-1999 season.
In the 1998-1999 season, Man Utd became the only English team to win three major titles in one season, including the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. The most memorable of which was the Champions League title when Man Utd beat Bayern in the final at Camp Nou, thanks to two goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in three minutes of extra time. In the 2008-2009 season, Man Utd won the Community Shield, Champions League and Premier League. This season, the Man Utd team is highly regarded with outstanding players such as Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Rooney himself.
Hong Duy
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