Real Madrid Suffer Humiliating Defeat to Manchester City, Exposing Tactical Missteps

Real Madrid faced a resounding defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, as they were knocked out of the tournament following a crushing 4-0 loss in the second leg of their semi-final clash. The anticipated close contest turned into a completely one-sided affair.

Bernardo Silva’s brace in the first half, coupled with two more goals in the second half, sealed Real Madrid’s fate. Only thanks to Thibaut Courtois’ heroics did the scoreline avoid being even more lopsided.

Mistakes were aplenty, and one of them fell squarely on the shoulders of manager Carlo Ancelotti, who got his tactics wrong on this occasion. Antonio Rudiger, who excelled in the first leg by shutting down Erling Haaland, was inexplicably dropped, with Eder Militao starting in his place. It proved to be a costly error for Real Madrid.

While Militao may be a talented defender, he struggled significantly in this match, delivering one of his worst performances in recent memory. One cannot help but ponder whether the outcome would have been different had Rudiger been in the starting lineup.

However, it would be unfair to single out Militao as the sole culprit for the team’s struggles. The entire squad faltered, failing to produce any standout performances. The only player who can hold his head high is Courtois, epitomizing the team’s disappointing display.

Real Madrid’s campaign concludes with just a Copa del Rey title. Although it may disappoint fans, the lack of squad depth limited their potential for further success.