The ULC or UEFA Champions League or European Cup is a yearly football event that is organized by UEFA. Fans of this sport anticipate this tournament and prepare beforehand. So, in the article, we will talk about UCL 2024 in detail, read a bit of its history, and see the major trends that are going on now.
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Background and History
Here, we will take a look at the history of the most prestigious European football competition. It took place for the first time in 1955. The tournament format was adjusted in 1991, so that season was played with slight changes in the rules. According to them, after the ¼ stage, there were still group matches. Also, the anthem and the emblem of the tournament appeared that year. What is more important to understand is that this championship lasts from September 2023 to June 2024. The final game was played on the 1st of June 2024.
Teams in the Final
This year, the quarter-final showed the two stronger teams: “Man” or Manchester City against the Real Madrid team. Although it turned out Real Madrid was the strongest and the fastest, the matches these teams played were worth a review. Their competition was one of the most exciting so far. So, let’s observe each of the teams to form an opinion about their capabilities and chances for victory. What’s impressive about both teams is that they managed to win all 6 matches each and collect the maximum number of points.
Profile of Manchester City
Manchester City is a professional football club from England. It was founded in 1880 and has a long and rich history. Since 2003, the team’s home has been located in the City of Manchester Stadium, where it resides and trains on a regular basis. In the 2023-24 season, the team showed impressive results when it won 4 consecutive league titles. So, for the ULC championship, the team was prepared and ready to fight.
Since Manchester City is the current trophy owner and the winner of the World Cup, it took 7 years for Josep Guardiola’s team on the road to victory, and they hoped to repeat this triumph. So, their chances for a win were evaluated by the experts and bettors as excellent ones.
The Man team included the following set of players:
- Ortega
- Akanji
- Ruben Dias
- Guardiola
- Stones
- Rodri
- Kovacic
- Foden (Alvarez, 87)
- Grealish
- Bernardo Silva
- Hollande.
Man City has already met Real Madrid in the semi-finals two times.
Profile of Real Madrid
The Real Madrid team is the record holder to reach the ¼ stages of the championships. It reached this stage 21 times during their career, which is very impressive. At the beginning of the season, three of Real Madrid’s main players suffered cruciate ligament ruptures. This is one of the most unpleasant injuries in soccer – not only because of the pain but also because of the recovery period, which usually takes from six months. After a series of failures, many fans stopped considering the club a favorite, but Real Madrid proved that it can adapt and achieve results even without its leaders.
The Real Madrid team for that match consisted of:
- Lunin
- Carvajal
- Rüdiger
- Tchouameni
- Mendy
- Kamawinga
- Valverde
- Kroos
- Bellingham
- Vinicius
- Rodrigo.
Experts did not have any doubts that the team would try to take the 15th-anniversary trophy. “Real” strives to win every match and, thanks to the character of a winner, can turn even hopeless games. This is one of the merits of Carlo Ancelotti, who is the coach that specializes in elimination tournaments.
Venue and Date
The matches between the two teams were very anticipated. Since both teams are very strong, everybody was very excited about this match that happened in April 2024. The teams met twice on the field, and every time, there was a draw. The first match ended in 3:3, and the second one in 1:1.
Stadium Details
The first quarter-final match between Real Madrid and Manchester City was at Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid Stadium. It is the home stadium and residence of the Real Madrid club. The stadium can accommodate over 80,000 spectators.
Their second game happened at the City of Manchester or Etihad Stadium. It can accommodate about 53,000 people. It is the fourth largest stadium in the English Premier League and 8th in England.
Match Date and Time
The first 1/4 final match was on the 9th of April in 2024. The match attracted over 76,000 viewers. It ended in a draw. The second match happened on the 17th of April, 2024, when the fate of the semi-finals was decided in a penalty shootout.
Key Players to Watch
Every match has its key players that are worth viewers and experts’ attention because they make the game interesting and exciting. So, in the competition between Real Madrid and Manchester City, there certainly were existing and rising stars.
Star Players
Federico Valverde is considered the best player of the match by the Manchester City team. Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez are also the best in the team. The first one even managed to beat his previous record and scored more goals this time.
Real Madrid also has its heroes that please the fans. Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rüdiger were considered the best players of both matches.
Rising Stars
In the Real Madrid team, midfielder Jude Bellingham and striker Vinicius Júnio again confirmed their statuses as the most talented and promising players of the team. They managed to perform at a high level and move their team to the semi-finals.
Tactical Analysis
Winning the Champions League on 23/24 is not just a matter of the players. It is the result of a strategy inspired by the best soccer mind in Carlo Ancelotti. Tactical moves, graceful and bold, allowed Real Madrid to dominate the pitch despite any challenges thrown on their way. Completely giving up the ball and concentrating on defense in the return match against Manchester City and counter-attacking Real against the same Manchester City in the first 1/4 match at the Santiago Bernabeu, the match ended 3:3.
Past Meetings and Rivalries
Ever since the UCL championship, the teams had no more meetings on the same fields. However, in future games, experts have a common opinion that taking into consideration the potential of both teams, it is very likely they can meet on the same field next season.
Fan Experience
Both teams have a huge fan base that follows the teams around the globe. So, these two matches weren’t exceptions. It was sold out, and fans were very supportive of both teams during the matches. Moreover, punters did not hesitate making bets on their favorite teams and get big winnings. If you want to test your luck, you can always check 1xBet for the latest football betting odds and make your own lucky predictions.
Tickets and Attendance
The tickets for both matches were available online, so fans could easily purchase them at the most popular websites, such as Ticombo and other world-proven providers. However, the sales didn’t last long because over 70,000 viewers bought all of them in a short time to visit Real Madrid and Manchester City matches in Madrid and Manchester City locations.
Fun Activities and Events
Fans expressed their support and were really loud during the match and the moments players scored. So, the majority of fan activities happened on the tribunes and during the victory of Real Madrid in the last match with a penalty outcome.
Predictions and Expectations
Before the matches between Real Madrid and Manchester City, experts were united in the opinion that Real Madrid, as the 14-time winner of this championship, will grab the victory again this time. Therefore, we can say that Real was the favorite of the competitions. However, Manchester City was also considered a strong opponent, so the stakes were made accordingly for almost equal participants.
How to Watch
Many users could watch the matches on TV. However, the major viewers were detected on the Internet using various streaming services. Many services and bookmakers who allow live streams were broadcasting the matches on their platforms, so devoted players had a variety of options to watch their favorites playing.
Trivia and Fun Facts
All the same, Manchester City and Real Madrid were the teams almost equal in power. Therefore, their performance was, and solid competition caused many tense moments. These were the matches where the most dominant team in Europe scored all three goals from behind the penalty box. The match was outstanding after a goalkeeper error from a free kick with a gorgeous combination and Phil Foden’s shot into the back nine, with an obscenely curved arc from Josko Guardiola.
The most impressive moments came from the 9th of April match, the first in the ¼ stage. So here are some fun facts about it:
- Real Madrid had 126 seconds to shock City for the remainder of the half. If City controls 99% of the game, Real Madrid will squeeze in the remaining percentage and crack the tactical.
- Luka Modric needed seven minutes and a dozen touches to spread magic on the pitch again. Selection in the center, a dash with the ball, a pre-goal pass. And this at the age of 38 in the ¼ final of the Champions League.
- The match had its own top goals, and it was impossible to choose the best one. After each of them, the fans thought – well, that’s it, it won’t get any cooler than this for sure.
So, the match is considered one of the best existing ones in the UCL 2024. It gathered many spectators and online viewers around the world and is one of the most impressive events of the championship.
Conclusion
In the article, we brought up some powerful facts about the UCL matches that took place in 2024 between Manchester City and Real Madrid. It is a show that is worth watching again, and experts predict that it might repeat itself if the teams meet on the same field again. Thus, by the day that happens, there will be slightly more bets on the Real Madrid team due to their previous 15 successful matches.
