The global betting company 1xBet tells about the ½ final first matches, which will occur on May 9 and 10. The number of contenders for victory in the main European club tournament has been reduced to four, and each struggle will have its special subtext.

May 9, Real Madrid – Manchester City

Real has made it to the European top four for the third year in a row, and it will also be their 10th semi-final in 12 years – crazy numbers. Carlo Ancelotti’s team beat Chelsea in the quarterfinals — 4:0 on aggregate. However, it is also true that the Blues are unlikely to frighten even the Championship’s average performer in their current state. Every match in which the team does not lose and scores against the opponent is perceived as a sensation.

Real’s 2023 spring feature is the pace, pushed to the limit (when necessary) and aggressive pressing. Center forward Karim Benzema loves to play with the Premier League clubs — he scored the last 11 goals in the Champions League against the English. The forward would not have been so productive without the help of Vinicius – in 2023, the Brazilian gave 7 assists to the Frenchman. This link also works in the opposite direction — out of Benzema’s five assists, four went to Vinicius.

Real has no doubts about its abilities, and its desire to win the Champions League is only getting stronger after the failures in La Liga. Suffice it to recall the recent game by Girona, which beat Madrid 4-2. After such a performance, the fans will eat the players alive if they fail against Manchester City. 

Everything is stable on Manchester’s blue side. It’s unnecessary to talk about Guardiola’s team strength, but in the last Champions League match, his players exceeded all expectations. According to the regulations, reaching the semi-finals is possible only after two meetings. However, the battle with Bayern could be finished after the first leg, which ended with a 3-0 home victory.

In contrast to Benzema, Guardiola has his own trump card — Haaland. The Norwegian has already scored 50 goals this season, including 12 in the Champions League and 34 in the Premier League. He looks amazing now and will surely be happy for those who try to stop him.

Despite the difficult schedule, the Citizens manager gathered a squad with no weak points, and each player works like a cog in a machine. That’s why the current Man City can win everything — the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup.

The duel with Real will remake last year’s semi-final with new characters. City is considered the tournament favorite every year, but then the treacherous Spanish sneak up from around the corner, and it’s all over. How will it be this year?

You can bet on Real Madrid vs Manchester City HERE:

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May 10, Inter – Milan

For 20 long years, Inter and Milan’s fans have been waiting for the paths of these great clubs to cross again in the Champions League semi-final, and the time has finally come.

The teams’ game form looks no less mysterious than the Glazer family attempts to sell Manchester United. After winning the Scudetto last season, Milan does not find motivation in matches against Salernitana or Udinese. Still, they always tune in to fights with teams from the top 7 in a unique way – out of 8 games, only 3 defeats from Lazio, Inter and Napoli. The result is fifth place in the standings with a zero gap from Inter.

Nerazzurri’s situation is very similar. In 2023, Inter lost to Empoli, Bologna and Spezia in Serie A while beating future champions Napoli and Milan (twice). But then a rehabilitated Juventus suddenly appeared at the top of the standings (the team was returned 15 points removed due to allegations of financial fraud in January) and pushed Simone Inzaghi’s team out of the top four. And now, both teams need not only to get to the final but also not to lose a place in the Champions League zone.

And what about Stefano Pioli, Milan’s coach? There’s no manager against whom Inzaghi would play more often – they met 18 times. For Inter’s allenatore, the counterpart is quite convenient: 9 wins, 4 draws and 5 defeats, but it was all in Serie A. The Champions League is a different tournament that lives by its own laws. Everything can change.

You can bet on Inter vs Milan HERE:

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