Manchester City vs Real Madrid: 3 ways that Pep Guardiola can beat Carlo Ancelotti

It’s finally here…

When Manchester City and Real Madrid face off in the Champions League semi-finals tonight, it will be a clash of two distinct footballing philosophies.

Whilst Manchester City tend to rely on a possession-based style of play that emphasizes positional play and intricate passing, Real Madrid prioritize a more direct, relationship-based approach that focuses on exploiting spaces and creating scoring opportunities through quick transitions.

Given these stylistic differences, Manchester City will need to find ways to exploit Real Madrid's weaknesses and create scoring opportunities whilst maintaining solidity at the back if they are to progress to the final. Here are three potential ways that Manchester City can do just that:

1. Exploit the spaces behind the full-backs

One potential weakness of the 4-3-3 formation is that the full-backs can be exposed if they push forward too aggressively. Manchester City can look to exploit this by maximising space through movement and fluidity in attack.

With the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva - two dribbling kings - the Cityzens can look to isolate the Real Madrid full-backs (most likely Camavinga and Carvajal) in one-on-one situations and exploit the space behind.

2. Control the midfield

One advantage of Pep Guardiola’s 3-2-4-1 formation is that it denies space for the opposition in the central areas - particularly in rest defence.

To overcome Real Madrid, Manchester City should focus on dominating the midfield battle and use their extra midfielder in the box shape to outnumber and overwhelm Real Madrid's midfield trio.

This can be achieved through a combination of quick passing, intelligent movement, and aggressive pressing - with the latter being afforded in the form of City’s five attack-minded players. This press can occur with safety and solidity in the 3-2 shape, defensively speaking.

If Manchester City can control the midfield, they can limit Real Madrid's opportunities to create chances and dominate possession.

3. Dictate the pace & exploit defensive frailties

Over the last five games, Real Madrid have conceded a whopping nine goals against La Liga opposition.

Whilst Los Blancos have conceded just 32 goals in La Liga all season, frailties have began to creep in at the business end of the season, and part of the problem that Manchester City could look to exploit is their vulnerability in transition.

Despite this, Pep’s side should be looking to control the tempo and not fall into the trap of hitting Ancelotti and co with constant counter-attacks. This is a battle that relationism tends to win time and again.

By returning back to their usual mass-possession approach, Manchester City can limit Real Madrid's opportunities to attack and force them to defend for long periods of time.

Of course, this also helps in tiring out Real Madrid's players and can create gaps in their defence, of which City should be looking to exploit.

With two legs of football, this is of course a marathon, not a sprint.

Allowing Real Madrid to dictate the pace of play and affording them as much time on the ball as they did Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich side could end in irreversible tragedy for Guardiola’s side.

This is effectively positionism vs relationism.

Barcelona can sign "new Haaland" in sensational £40m swoop

Lille’s record goalscorer Jonathan David has dropped an interesting admission…

According to Fabrizio Romano, the star is expected to leave in the summer, so this latest confession comes across as somewhat of a subtle ‘come and get me’ plea.

What’s the word?

In a recent 35-minute interview with French outlet Winamax, David expressed his ongoing love for a certain Catalonian super-club.

Speaking via Winamax, the 23-year-old said:

“Barcelona has always been my favourite club since I was a kid.”

According to Transfermarkt, the Canadian star’s most recent link away from Lille was with Premier League giants Manchester United, back in October 2022.

Though, with David’s delectable and consistent showings throughout his stay of around three years in Ligue 1, the namedrop of FC Barcelona may just alert recruitment staff at the club.

Canada’s golden boy

At the age of 23, David has endured a consistent rise to prominence.

Bearing in mind his status as a Canadian international, his rise has not been atypical though - with the Lille talisman gaining his professional status in Europe with Belgian side Gent - rather than coming to fruition through the means of Major League Soccer like fellow associates Alphonso Davies and Cyle Larin.

Currently, David sits just three goals behind the latter in the all-time goalscoring charts for Canada, boasting a solid haul of 23 goals in 39 games, having played 20 less games in comparison to 27-year-old Larin.

And whilst that stat is impressive in its own right, his identity as Lille’s record goalscorer puts the 23-year-old in greater regard, sitting at the top of the charts, 11 goals ahead of Eden Hazard.

It’s worth mentioning that David’s haul of 47 goals has come in almost equal split, having bagged 24 goals at home and 23 goals away - there’s that consistency that we mentioned earlier.

Barcelona’s ERLING Haaland?

At this point, it’s worth mentioning that FC Barcelona came close to signing the Canadian prodigy back in April 2020, just four months before he left to join French side LOSC Lille.

This was relayed in a report by Forbes who shared Mundo Deportivo’s claim that saw David dubbed a “new [Erling Braut] Haaland.”

Fast forward three years and those claims are not as wayward as many would have first thought.

David’s efforts in France have seen him follow up on his high potential status as one of Europe’s brightest stars, with the striker netting double figures in each of his three seasons in Lille.

This season, the €45million (£39.6million) talisman has taken his game to new heights, currently sitting pretty with a haul of 19 goals and four assists from 27 Ligue 1 games, having started 26 of those.

The Final Say

Whilst Haaland is in his own lane currently at Manchester City, it’s clear that FC Barcelona can bag themselves a goalscoring machine in the Lille star, with his latest admission inviting interest from the Blaugrana.

With Romano understanding that the Canada star could depart Lille at the end of the season, a move to a club like Xavi’s Barcelona is increasingly possible.

Barcelona: Romano issues huge update on £74m Frenkie De Jong

Barcelona have been handed a big boost over one of their star assets…

Frenkie de Jong was deemed expendable by the Catalan side just last summer.

And despite constant pressure from the club, amidst a rather messy ‘deferred wages’ scenario, the 25-year-old had no plans to exit Camp Nou.

Manchester United spent the majority of their resources that summer trying to sign the former Ajax maestro, and even though an €85million fee had been agreed, that was still not enough to unite the star with his former boss Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Ultimately, De Jong’s heart is set on Barcelona and that does not look like it will change any time soon, judging by the latest update.

What’s the word?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, De Jong made the correct decision to stay and fight for his place under Xavi, with the 25-year-old seemingly hopeful of his future at Camp Nou.

Taking to his personal Twitter page to relay the update, Romano shared De Jong’s sentiment:

“I hope I will play at the new Camp Nou. Barcelona is the club of my dreams, so I plan to stay for many years”, told TV3.

“It looks like it's going to be nice. The plans for the stadium are very good.”

Xavi’s Golden Boy

Featuring in Xavi’s starting XI 76% of the time, De Jong has served as a solid contender in Barcelona’s engine room and seems to have firmly placed last summer’s drama behind him.

Given his comfortability in possession, De Jong has offered a great deal of stability to Xavi’s side and completes the most amount of accurate passes in the midfield, averaging around 66 passes per 90 in La Liga this season at an accuracy of 90.5%.

In comparison to last season, De Jong’s passing metrics this season by far outweigh his average of around 54 passes per 90 in La Liga.

It’s interesting to note that De Jong’s increase in passes correlate directly to his more significant role through Barcelona’s build-up in the possession phase this season.

With Xavi implementing a 3-2-2-3 shape in the attacking build up, De Jong sits as one of the deeper lying double pivot duo in the engine room, making way for the wide-left to cut into a more central position to create a box-shape between four central players.

Barca look to sit in this shape as often as possible, and given the fact that their philosophy is heavily reliant on keeping possession, De Jong plays an integral role as a string-puller in Xavi’s midfield.

The Final Say

Judging by Romano’s latest update, it appears that De Jong has not at all been put off by the drama that haunted him last summer, with his recent admission pledging his allegiance to the club for many years.

Of course, with the Catalan giants finding themselves in a financial mess, there is still an overwhelming element of unpredictability at the club, especially regarding personnel.

So, whilst nothing is guaranteed, the star who was subject to an €85million (£74million) agreement with Manchester United has done just about everything he can to show the club why they should strive to keep him for years to come.

Barcelona: Xavi makes move for £165k-p/w Premier League star

Barcelona coach Xavi is more than keen on adding to his La Liga-topping squad…

Manchester City and Germany star Ilkay Gundogan is seemingly next on the list.

What’s the word?

That is according to Spanish outlet AS, who claim that Xavi has reached out to Pep Guardiola’s midfield maestro in regards to a potential summer switch to Camp Nou.

As the report skirts over, this would not be the first time that Barcelona have looked to raid current Premier League Champions Manchester City.

Back in 2021, the Catalan giants regained their La Masia youth prodigy Eric Garcia on a free transfer, whilst also prising Ferran Torres to Camp Nou just a matter of months later at the very start of the winter transfer window for a quoted fee of around £48million.

Logic prevails

Amidst Barcelona’s financial mess, astute business will be integral to them keeping their head above the water.

Last summer’s failed approach to sign Bernardo Silva was a lesson in itself, with the Portuguese international contracted with Manchester City until 2025.

And it seems as though logic has prevailed in that sense, with Xavi and co now setting their sights on signing the Citizens’ captain, Gundogan.

This is a move that seems achievable from a Barca standpoint, especially due to the fact that the 32-year-old’s contract at the Etihad Stadium expires come the end of the season.

The Final Say

Following the latest piece from AS, Barcelona’s first contact with Gundogan has been positive, with the Premier League star said to be willing to join the La Liga side even if he has to take a pay cut.

From the same source, it is said that the 32-year-old will be offered a three-year contract and would serve as the perfect complement to youthful midfield duo Pedri and Gavi.

Of course, since his switch from German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, Gundogan has been schooled in Pep’s modernised mass-possession style for almost seven years now, so his wealth of experience and respective ability to fit into Barcelona’s deeply engrained Tiki-Taka style makes the signing a no-brainer from Xavi’s perspective.

Averaging 54.54 passes per 90 with a pass completion accuracy of 87.7%, Gundogan can provide further stability in the Blaugrana engine room, whilst also functioning as a secret weapon from an attacking perspective with his 3.69 shot-creating actions per 90 placing him in the 90th percentile amongst positionally similar players over the last 365 days, according to FBref.