Real Madrid have inexplicably qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Chelsea. In 2018, Xavi tried to explain the phenomenon…
Real Madrid’s DNA would deserve the world’s greatest scientists to look at it, if only the genetic code was made of the same material as an individual’s. The Santiago Bernabeu experienced another irrational evening this Tuesday evening with a return from the death of Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Yes, against PSG Real Madrid came very close to a correctional and worse, an immense humiliation. In its lair, the club used to comebacks almost saw Thomas Tuchel’s men inflict such disappointment on them. Only again, Real only needed a spark from Luka Modric to completely reverse the balance of power.
Xavi already talked about it in 2018…
In the space of a few weeks, Carlo Ancelotti’s team have just delivered two huge feats, leaving behind the big favorite on paper (PSG) and the defending champion (Chelsea) in the past. As early as 2018, after Real Madrid knocked out Paris Saint-Germain, Xavi tried to analyze the phenomenon and his statements still make sense.
“Real have something. Against them you can never miss your chance otherwise they will punish you directly. The worst thing is they can’t hurt their opponent with anything. A counter-attack, a corner kick is enough for them to take matters into their own hands. It’s so incredible that when the game is over and you look at the score, you say to yourself, “Damn, 3-1 right… But how did they do that?“How is it possible that Real won this game 3-1 when it was a game that should have ended 1-1, 2-2 or even 1-2?” he wondered. SoFoot.
“If I have the answer? It’s inexplicable, Real don’t play, they win. Again, PSG should have killed the game when they had the chance (…). What PSG lived, I also experienced with Barca. You say to yourself: “Damn, we play better than them.» You hit the post and then you think: «Ouch, ouch, ouch, why didn’t she bring it back…There you hardly have time to moan that Real have already scored a goal for you on the counterattack. With them there is no “ouch, ouch, ouch” or “ouch, ouille, ouille”.
They are not difficult. If you don’t push them, they push you. For thirty years, Real Madrid have approached their matches as if it were arm wrestling. They experience every encounter as a duel. They look you straight in the eye and challenge you. Do you want to attack? Go ahead, we’ll do it too. But if you don’t score, we’ll put it in,” he already concluded in 2018. PSG in 2021 and Chelsea will share his words at the time…
