Real Madrid: 3 advantages against Manchester City
A well-rested midfield
This advantage may seem minute, but it should not be underestimated. When Real Madrid first played against Manchester City in late February, they were not at full strength in the middle of the park. Not only did Toni Kroos sit on the bench in a surprise decision, but the all-important defensive midfielder looked way off the pace and fatigued.
Casemiro is the best defensive midfielder in the world and, purely speaking in terms of individual performance, was the best player on Los Blancos in the 2019-2020 La Liga campaign. But because of his importance and the lack of an actual backup defensive midfielder, he was incredibly overworked. It showed against City, and when Casemiro has a bad game, Real Madrid suffer accordingly.
Next Friday at the Etihad Stadium, Casemiro will be 100 percent. Kroos will almost certainly start. Luka Modric and Fede Valverde will, likewise, be fresh. If Isco plays in the midfield, there will be no questions about his fitness either.
Real Madrid were fatigued and hobbled by injuries throughout 2019-2020. Do not underestimate what this world-class midfield can do at 100 percent, because every little advantage between these two games is magnified, especially in the midfield against Pep Guardiola’s dominant force.