Not much of a game really, and as they have said its certainly not over, but asking a side who haven't scored for 5 matches to score 3 against this lot (who always score) is quite a steep climb.
Considering Chelsea's issues this season, and the fact they played 35 minutes with 10 men, I didn't think Madrid were great. However, I also didn't think they were great in most of their Champions League games last season either and they ended up winning the damn thing . They seem to have an air of inevitability in the Champions League where they really come to life, irrespective of what's happening off the pitch or in other competitions. It's their holy grail. Would not be shocked if they won a 15th CL this season, even if I don't think they're the best team.
The general ability of their squads over the years aside, Madrid have the "right stuff" for prevailing in the CL (just as the Poool did in the 80s - and to a lesser extent over the past two decades) .
Real Madrid’s problem is that their best players are getting old. Benzema, Modric and Kroos are still highly effective, but not all the time. In transition, Chelsea were able to bring the ball forward through midfield quickly. Had they had a proper forward on the pitch, they might have been better able to exploit the opportunities they got. They did a job on Liverpool because their midfield didn’t get put under any pressure as Liverpool lack energy and pace in there too. When in control of the ball, they can hurt you, but without the ball look vulnerable. Against City in the semi final it might be a different story this year.
Kroos and Modric are both excellent players and superb with the ball. City walked through that midfield when they also had Casemiro, though. He should've been sent off about three times over. If they pick last night's lineup against De Bruyne & Co, then they'll have a hard night. Alaba will probably have to be restored to left-back, too. They've got Rudiger in reserve and he'll make it easier to deal with Haaland.
Weghort pushes Montiel in the face and he hits the deck. Robbie Savage complains about someone going down easily from a hand to the face. Robbie Savage. Really?
Disastrous minute for Man Utd. Concede a stupid goal and Martinez gets injured. Looks like a bad one. Pulled up with nobody anywhere near him. They've got no subs left either, so they're down to 10 men.
United are the team we are most likely to displace imo. Their second leg just got a whole lot harder, and they have a tricky away trip to Forest sandwiched in between, followed by the FA cup semi final against Brighton and an away trip to us, then they face resurgent Villa and are away to Brighton a few days later. They play every 3-4 days from now until almost the end of the season. More if they somehow get past Sevilla. Their fixture list is both packed and demanding. If it's between them or Newcastle, my money is on United dropping out.
Martinez and Varane both went off injured, as well. They may end up having to play Maguire and Lindelof in every game.
If we had scored two own goals in the last few minutes to give the opposition a draw in an important match it would be called Spursy. The only reason you can't associate that concept with other teams is that the name doesn't work. Manchester Unitedy doesn't really have the same resonance. So basically I'm saying is that Spursy either doesn't exist or all teams are capable of being their version of it. And it always annoys me as if Spurs are some special case.
But we are a special case because we are on the edge of doing great things but never quite make it. No other club in the PL is in that position. We are in the group with City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and United. All of those teams have won stuff recently whereas we haven't but we are usually in the mix. It's unique and it's Spursy.
