Can Manchester City Redeem Themselves In The Champions League?

The addition of Erling Haaland: Manchester City's key to success?

The draw for the Champions League semi-finals have opened the door for Manchester City to gain revenge over Real Madrid for what happened a year ago at the Bernabeu. City were on the brink of making the final, but Rodrygo's 90th and 91st-minute goals forced extra time, where Karim Benzema wrapped up proceedings from the penalty spot. So City will certainly be out to get some retribution, but can they do it?

At the competition's semi-final stage, Champions League betting can be challenging, considering what’s at stake, but trying to pick between Real Madrid and Manchester City, two of the best teams on the planet, especially after what happened last season, is near enough impossible. And both outfits have reasons to win, with Real out to defend their crown and add to their Copa del Rey success, while City have revenge and a treble on their mind.

Vinicius Junior's first-half strike opened the scoring for the hosts. However, Kevin De Bruyne stepped up with a piledriver of his own to level the scores and hit the net for the final 1-1. The two sides will reconvene in Manchester next Wednesday to decide who qualifies for the Istanbul final on 10 June.

The question everyone wants to know the answer to, however, is whether City can redeem themselves. In reality, they were unbelievably close to making the final last season, but City’s inability to kill Real off made them pay. Many people put this down to the lack of a finisher in front of goal, with a false nine system often deployed by Pep Guardiola. So, the suggestion is that the arrival of Erling Haaland corrected this, and it’s been a case of so far, so good since he signed.

You could argue that it’s not really whether City can get win; it’s whether Haaland is the man who can make the difference in Europe’s top club competition. And all the signs suggest he can. In twenty-seven Champions League appearances for Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and City, Haaland has scored thirty-five goals, and he certainly won’t be wasteful when chances come his way, either at the Bernabeu or the Etihad.

If City can supply their number nine with the service, he could be the difference maker for Guardiola’s side, and they could have it in them to kill Real off and make it through to the final, gaining revenge for last season and keeping their treble hopes alive. But you can’t right Real and Carlo Ancelotti off, who have proven that they’re one of the most dangerous teams around on their day, even if the La Liga title is out of their grasp this term.

They won the Copa del Rey recently and the Club World Cup back in February, so they have a treble of sorts in play too. And the front three of Rodrygo, Benzema and Vinicius Junior have brushed even some of the best teams aside with ease. Everyone is expecting another two legs of excellent Champions League semi-final action when the two teams meet, with plenty of quality on show, and they could well get it, with the overall winner going on to play one of the Milan's in the final.