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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Philipp Lahm

Real Madrid v Manchester City feels like a final as two dominant teams meet

Real Madrid’s players train on the eve of their semi-final against Manchester City.
Real Madrid’s players train on the eve of their semi-final against Manchester City. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

I was looking forward to Bayern Munich against Manchester City. In April, when the best meet, you expect exciting matches. But I was disappointed. City managed the 3-0 advantage from the first leg. Bayern were not able to challenge their opponents.

Now I’m looking forward to Real Madrid against City. It’s the semi-final from last year, and back then it was the highlight of the season, with a narrow winner at the last. Again, it’s the two strongest clubs in the Champions League, which says a lot about Europe’s football. The English and Spanish leagues are not producing a second top team at the moment, the Bundesliga none at all. PSG promise but do not deliver. Italy is on the up, and Inter and Milan have taken advantage of the draw. But Real against City is the real final.

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