Power Ranking the 4 Premier League teams in the Champions League
Punching Wildly From the Corner: Manchester City
City’s match at the Bernabeu summed up everything that has been great and horrible about their season so far, except one thing.
First, Pep Guardiola could not resist tinkering with his tactics for a Champions League match. It is well-known that Pep will overthink things in an attempt to out-think the whole stadium. Sadly, it typically does not work out.
Manchester City had no cohesion on offense and no defined striker for over an hour. Kevin De Bruyne was pushed more forward than usual (Bernardo Silva was the striker only on paper). Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus pushed wide up the field and defenders also pushed through the middle.
Real Madrid responded by high pressing City from the start. The result was what happens in Atlanta when there is ice on the highways – multiple crashes, pile-ups, and gridlock. Meanwhile, Pep, playing the mad scientist role, was waving his arms in an attempt to use the Force to magically move his players as if it was a giant version of FIFA 20.
Second, Aymeric Laporte, who has been absent most of the season due to injuries and had just recently started to play again, had to leave the pitch after 33 minutes. The loss of the Frenchman in central defense has been a ghost that has haunted City all year.
Third, after Isco scored to give Real the goal advantage, Guardiola ended his experiment and went back to basics. He substituted Raheem Sterling in and his club went into their typical attack mode wildly punching at every turn.
De Bruyne proved how incredible a play-maker he is, by evading a circle of defenders and feeding the ball up for Gabriel Jesus to head in for City’s first goal. This was the punch that opened a cut on Real’s chin. In typical Manchester City fashion, they kept swinging.
Lastly, a recurring nightmare for City all season has been their failure to convert penalties. Everyone had to cover their eyes when De Bruyne took his turn at the spot in the 83rd minute. In the one area that did not go as usual this season, he got the ball past the keeper into the net.
Manchester City, in probably the only competition that matters to them now, has been the best of all the remaining Premier League teams in all offensive categories in this competition. However, that is not the point.
Here is the point.
They go back to Manchester up one goal against a depleted staggering old champion. This time City will not be in the corner. They will be in the center.
City moves on to the next round.
The Champ is still the Champ Until He Gets Knocked Out: Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp’s club faced the one club in the field that would give them the most trouble. Atletico Madrid is well-known for essentially choking the life out of their opponent’s offense using pretty much any means necessary. That is what they do. It is what Diego Simeone has always done with his club.
In Madrid, Liverpool had their worst game of the season. They ran straight into a nearly impenetrable Atletico defense. In the fourth minute, Saul Niguez, managed to get a ball past Alisson to put the home side up by a goal. As Simeone orchestrated the crowd to feed more and more energy into his club’s defense, Atletico held on to win.
The Reds xG in the match was a season-low 0.5. In fact, Liverpool’s xG for the Champions League competition is the lowest of all the remaining English clubs. Their npxG+xA/90 of 0.60 in the UCL is only better than Spurs among the top-flight teams. They are facing an Atletico Madrid side who is the best in the competition in nearly every defensive category.
Here is the thing…
Liverpool has demonstrated throughout the year that they are historically one of the best teams ever in the Premier League. They have arguably the best team in Europe from top to bottom. In my opinion, they have the best manager currently in the game. Liverpool has the ability to really start swinging when they need to. It has happened repeatedly in Premier League (just ask West Ham last Monday).
The next leg of the tie is going to be at Anfield, which has been a literal fortress. Liverpool is only down by one goal and it is not an away goal. They are far from being knocked out.
They are still the champions until they get knocked out. They have the best team, the best coach, and are playing in a fortress more stout than Kings Landing (before the dragon showed up).
By the way, Diego Simeone does not have any dragons. Not even one dragon that can consistently score goals.
Liverpool is the best team in England. They are the best team in Europe. After their re-match with Atletico in Anfield – they still will be.