YIZE idle ngokuhlabahlosa imidlalo yama-quarterfinal e-Uefa Champions League, kodwa akungatshazwa ukuthi umdlalo ophakathi kweManchester City neReal Madrid ubhekwe ngabomvu yiningi labathandi bebhola ngezizathu ezahlukene.
IReal Madrid izotholana phezulu neMan City kowomlenze wokuqala wama-quarterfinal eChampions League, ngoLwesibili ngo-9 ebusuku, eSantiago Bernabeu, eMadrid, eSpain. Owomlenze wesibili uzoba ngo-Ephreli 17, e-Etihad Stadium eManchester, e-England.
Ngaphandle nje kokuthi iCity yiyona ezuze isicoco seChampions League ngesizini edlule kodwa umdlalo wayo neMadrid uthathwa njengowamagqubu kwazise leli qembu lase-England endleleni yalo ebheke kowamanqamu labhuquzisa iMadrid ngo 4-0 emdlalweni womlenze wesibili kanti kwokuqala zazibambene ngo 1-1.
IMan City ezuze isicoco yeChampions League okokuqala emlandweni, ibhekene nenselelo yokusivikela ngaphansi komqeqeshi uPep Guardiola okunguyena oqophe umlando ngokuzuzela leli qembu laseManchester lesi sicoco esihlonishwayo emhlabeni.
Nokho, ibukeka iqonga ingcindezi kulo mqeqeshi njengoba ngesizini edlule ezuzele leli qembu izicoco ezintathu, okubalwa nese-English Premier League neFA Cup.
Njengamanje kusaminyene utshumo embangweni wesicoco sePremier League phakathi kweLiverpool, i-Arsenal nayo iMan City, nokwenza kungabi lula ukuqagula ukuthi yiliphi phakathi kwala maqembu elingagcina limuke nesicoco.
Ukungabi sefomini enhle kweMan City kwiPremier League njengakwisizini edlule, yikho kanye okuqongisa ingcindezi kuGuardiola ekukhipheni amangwevu kwiChampions League ukubuyisa ithemba kubalandeli baleli qembu ngokuvikela ngempumelelo lesi sicoco.
“IReal Madrid iyiqembu elihlukile kunelangesizini edlule, linomdlali oseqophelweni eliphezulu uBellingam (Jude) owenza izinto zenzeke. Ukubhekana neMadrid kuhlale kunzima, akekho ongakuphika lokho.
Iyiqembu elisefomini enhle njengamanje elingalawula okuningi ngesipiliyoni salo seChampions League,” kusho uGuardiola ecashunwa yi-Uefa.com.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi umqeqeshi weMadrid, uCarlo Ancelotti ubhekene nenselelo yokubuyisa isithunzi salezi zingqungqulu zaseSpain kwiChampions League, kwazise phela yizo eziphethe irekhodi lokunqoba lo mqhudelwano amahlandla amaningi ukwedlula wonke amaqembu emlandweni walo mqhudelwano, njengoba seziwunqobe amahlandla angu-14.
“Inhloso wukuwunqoba lo mqhudelwano, ukuze uwunqobe kufanele wehlule amaqembu anzima. ICity iyiqembu elihamba phambili njengamanje e-Europe, ngakho-ke uma ufuna ukuba ngompetha base-Europe kumele uhlule iCity. Kuzoba umdlalo onzima we-quarterfinal esizowudlala ngokuzethemba,” kusho u-Ancelotti ecashunwa yi-Uefa.com.
Le ngwevu yomqeqeshi isinqobe iChampions League amahlandla amane namaqembu ahlukene. Inqobe lesi sicocoo amahlandla amabili naleli qembu laseMadrid neyagcina ukusinqobela leli qembu ngesizini ka-2021/2021.
Eminye imidlalo ebhekiwe kuma-quarterfinal, ngowe-Arsenal neBayern Munich ngawo uLwesibili ngo-9 ebusuku noweParis Saint-Germain (PSG) neBarcelona ngoLwesithathu ngo-9 ebusuku.
Imidlalo yama-quarterfinal e-Uefa Champions League:
NgoLwesibili - Ngo-9pm: Arsenal v Bayern Munich (Emirates Stadium); Real Madrid v Manchester City (Santiago Bernabeu)
NgoLwesithathu - Ngo-9pm: Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona (Parc des Princes); Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund (Civitas Metropolitan Stadium)