When Real Madrid visits Manchester City on Wednesday, manager Carlo Ancelotti thinks the two finest teams in Europe will face off for a spot in the Champions League final.
The first leg of the semi-final match, played last week in Madrid, ended in a score of 1-1 as City sought vengeance for losing to Ancelotti's team in the same round of the tournament the previous year.
Ancelotti remarked during his pre-game news conference on Tuesday that “Madrid and City are currently the best teams in Europe and it will be an exciting game, like it was in the first leg.”
City has gone 22 games without losing, and they are in position to win the Premier League, the Champions League, and the FA Cup.
The English champions have failed to extend Pep Guardiola's domestic domination to the European stage, though, as City has yet to win the Champions League.
Madrid, on the other hand, has a team full of Champions League champions since the 14-time champions have won Europe five times in the previous nine seasons.
Luka Modric, a midfielder for Real Madrid, stated, “We have played a lot of these games, semi-finals, finals. “I see it day in and day out, we have calmness and confidence because we believe in our character and our qualities.”
After Eduardo Camavinga overcame the injury that took him out against Getafe on Saturday, Ancelotti has a completely healthy roster to pick from.
And the Italian explained remarks he made over the weekend that seemed to imply Antonio Rudiger would start without a doubt after he silenced City's Erling Haaland, a 52-goal scorer, in the first leg.
This season, Rudiger has often filled in for Eder Militao and David Alaba at center back, but he began the match last week since Militao was out with an injury.
The Brazilian is back, but Ancelotti wouldn't say who will start at the defensive center.