As Pep Guardiola’s team is ready to face Real Madrid in the semifinal of the Champions League, Fabio Capello believes Manchester City to be “the best team in the world.”
The match is a replay of their last-four encounter, which took place at the Bernabeu and saw Real Madrid make an incredible comeback to defeat Man City in extra time.
The one piece of hardware that Pep Guardiola has yet to win during his nearly seven years with Man City is a Champions League title.
Erling Haaland’s impact on Manchester City and his view that they are currently the best team on the planet were both underlined by former England manager Fabio Capello on Monday at the Laureus Awards.
I think City is the best team in the world. This year makes the difference.
Last year, (they) missed the forward and this year you have a really important forward. Not only this – you have 24 players.
When you make the substitution, always a fantastic player is entering. Real Madrid, I think (have) 14, 15 players.
They probably will be a little bit tired (after winning the Copa del Rey on Saturday evening), but they have the best coach in the world, Carlo Ancelotti.
Carlo knows everything about the openings, and we prepare the games really, really well. I hope, Carlo, we will win.
He said.
Luis Figo, a former Inter Milan and Real Madrid winger, agreed with Fabio Capello’s assessment of Man City’s progress but cautioned that they still faced a difficult opponent in the 14-time European Cup champions.
I think (Manchester City) are one of the best teams in the world now.
They are playing very good football, and in the last years, they are always in the competition, they have the experience already, they know already what to do so they don’t lose like last year.
But they play against the best club in the history of the Champions League.
Sometimes I think the history of the competition, that helps you in different kinds of moments and important moments in this competition, and everyone, I think they think that Manchester City is now a favourite for the games against Real Madrid.
But you have to count the history and count that Real Madrid is always alive until the last second of the game.
It will be nice to see, but I think for sure they are more than ready to win this beautiful competition.
He said.
In the other semi-final, Figo is hoping that Inter Milan, another of his previous teams, would defeat AC Milan.