Benzema: "At the Bernabéu we are going to do something magical, which is to win"

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Real Madrid's destiny in this Champions League seems to be to row against the tide, even when it begins to sail downstream like against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Sometimes you can even suspect that he is enjoying this habit of living on the wing, peeking at the drop, looking at the distance to the ground, and coming back to the game.

After the defeat against City, Carlo Ancelotti casually announced in the press room that they needed another prodigy ahead of them: “We are going to fight for another magical night”, he said, already pointing to the Santiago Bernabéu and its people.

MNCM.

City

4

Ederson Moraes, Laporte, Rúben Dias, Zinchenko, John Stones (Fernandinho, min. 35), Rodrigo, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus (Sterling, min. 82), Foden and Mahrez

RMA Real Madrid

3

Courtois, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Alaba (Nacho, min. 45), Ferland Mendy, Kroos, Modric (Dani Ceballos, min. 78), Federico Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Junior (Marco Asensio, min. 87) and Rodrygo ( Camavinga, minute 69)

Goals

1-0 min.

1: DeBruyne.

2-0 min.

10: Gabriel Jesus.

2-1 min.

32: Benzema.

3-1 min.

52: Foden.

3-2 min.

54: Vinicius Jr.

4-2 min.

73: Bernardo Silva.

4-3 min.

81: Benzema.

Referee

István Kovács

Yellow cards Fernandinho (min. 80) and Nacho (min. 92)

Although, of course, I don't trust everything to magic.

The Italian had already chewed on a very uncomplicated analysis: “If you defend better, you win;

if you defend like today, you stay out,” he said.

It was a recurring idea in his appearance: “We have to defend better.

We've done well with the ball, we've looked for many opportunities, but for the second leg defending better is too important”.

In the bag of negatives, he not only put the poor performance in defense, but also included some point about a certain lack of intensity that he detected especially in the first moments of the match, in which his team suffered the most: “Two goals they came from losses in individual duels, two centers.

We have to be more vigilant there,” he said.

But above all that, there is a feeling of relief: “We were able to react and keep the game alive”, summed up the coach.

Although the relief is not enough, according to Vinicius: "Happy with the defeat, never."

And he also pointed to the same place as the Italian.

“The first part of the tie is over.

There are 90 minutes to make a difference at the Bernabéu.

The fans have been making the difference in all the qualifiers and the next match will not be any different”, he stated.

However, a bit of caution was also noticed in him with that always taking the qualifiers to the limit in which the team has lived until now, and that it seems that he has left ready when leaving Manchester: “We have to improve a little bit of everything, especially everything at the beginning of the matches.

We can't concede goals to start playing later”, which is what the plan that has brought the team to this point has consisted of.

Neither does Benzema think it's a straight line, nor does the Etihad result seem like something to celebrate: “A defeat is never good.

The important thing is that we never lower our arms, until the end.

The result is like this.

Now we have to go to the Bernabéu.

We need the fans like never before, and we are going to do something magical, which is to win”, pointed out the bigoleador of the night.

For the second leg in Chamartín they are going to need the push of the stands, they are going to need to defend, and they are also going to need all their footballers.

David Alaba had arrived very just in the first leg in Manchester, after suffering an abductor contracture, but he was able to line up in eleven.

However, it was clear that his recovery had not been complete, because when Madrid returned to the field after the break, the Austrian center-back was no longer there, but instead Nacho appeared, who had been warming up throughout halftime.

Ancelotti explained why he had replaced Alaba: "To avoid problems I have stopped him," he said.

He also referred to Casemiro, another important piece who had physical problems, and who ultimately couldn't play against City.

Regarding the presence of the Brazilian in the second leg, he was very optimistic: “Casemiro,

sure,” he said.

And he also wanted to be positive with Alaba: "I think both will be there for the second leg," he said.

With these pieces, which seem to be all of them, Madrid will prepare another one of those nights that this season are being tremendously crazy at the Santiago Bernabéu.

With magic, and with defense.

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