The ‘coconut’ returns to Manchester

Half of that city in which Atleti landed yesterday at 2:30 p.m. is already angry. now the rojiblancos they go for the other. The draw ball decided it. After United, City. After Cristiano, Guardiola. The semifinal is at stake. The first 90′ of these rooms todayat the Etihad. City is one of the big favorites in the competition. Nothing converts Atleti more than not being one (follow the match live on AS.com).

Manchester received the rojiblancos with cold and rain fina to live today first round of this author eliminator. Guardiola against Simeone, the two highest paid coaches in the world, a blackboard clash. The first precisely, Pep, described yesterday as “stupid” this debate, that of styles, but there it is. His City, a touch team against a compact block that awaits its opportunity to hurt like Atleti. Possession versus position. Water and oil for one purpose: to win. That equals both. In the head, the last time they met. It was in 2016. Semifinals, Bayern-Atleti, with the return in Munich a siege. “The game in which I have suffered the most in my life”, Koke’s word. 34 shots (12 on goal) and 600 passes from those of Pep that were of no use. Those from Cholo passed, with 32% possession.

The way of the Germans, as Simeone calls the Champions League, “give it, give it, someone falls”, he puts them in front five years later. The rojiblancos at best moment of the season, after having overcome a pothole that Cholo was not familiar with, Atleti unable to link three wins in a row, beaten Oblak in one shot out of two. But that’s over. The other team in the city already suffered. The Atleti del Cholo converted into coco specialist in devouring English. This tie will be different, however. City is not United, more individuals than a team. City have confidence and quality to impose their game and take the initiative against anyone. It is the Premier team that generates the most danger with its driving (+24.57 value, according to Olocip’s AI) and with the most impact on the development of the game (61.53).

Guardiola is missing Dias, due to injury, just like Simeone is missing Giménez. But there is Rodrigo, who flew from Atleti to go with Pep and become the most valuable pivot in the world. And there it is Sterling, who comes from two goals with his team and two assists in the Premier. And, of course, there is De Bruyne, capable of solving only one match; by the sight of him, the shots of him from outside the area. But if Atleti del Cholo has shown anything in recent years, it is that he knows how to look at Goliath. He always competes. The signing of Reinildo gave him back his solidity. The City has a mole in the definition (soccer players like Jesús, Grealish or Cancelo penalize them, according to Olocip, they should have four more goals) and in the Premier match that they will play in the middle of these 180′. Against him Liverpool, to a pointfor the title.

The ‘John’ moment

At the bottom of Giménez, if you force it to be in the return, Cholo is joined by those of Herrera, injury, and Carrasco, sanction. Simeone, who surprised with a 4-4-2 against Alavés on Saturday, would line up the same team from 20 days ago at Old Trafford with Felipe and Kondogbia due to casualties. It’s eleven kind of him. That one that scared away doubts, that has won six in a row in the League, seven in the last eight games. Although it is also Simeone and it would not be the first time that she surprises with an unexpected man on a day like this.

It will not be upstairs, where the couple It bites-João takes root. The Frenchman is so good, the star always in work overalls underneath, that instead of taking the place away from the Portuguese, he has made him better. In influence in the game, in goals (10, seven in the last seven games), finally coupled, wonderful. He already scored against United in the first leg. Yesterday he arrived in the rain from Manchester with his boot pointing at Guardiola’s board, to the team that Agüero joined more than a decade ago after leaving Atleti. Football had never found them. Until now. Just the first year that the Kun is no longer.