Real Madrid host Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals. The reigning Galacticos have just finished playing the Spanish Cup final and are running out of steam. On the other hand, the Blue Moons are used to fighting on multiple fronts and will make sure that they have a solid lineup for the first leg, plus all of their last 4 UEFA matches have been 2 goals or less, so they have a solid style of play and are worth chasing for the 2.5-goal goal differential. (Now 643 Wednesday, 3 a.m. live)
The two sides met in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals last season, and were tied 5-5 by Real Madrid in the statutory time of both rounds. Real Madrid fought to extra time and then eliminated Manchester City from the final with a 12-yarder from Binschmann, and were crowned the champions of the tournament.
The two teams are back in action this season. Real Madrid has been focusing on the Cup recently, winning the Spanish Cup final against Osasina 2-1, and they have already eliminated Liverpool and Chelsea in the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League in consecutive matches.
