Man City-owned team batter Real Madrid a fortnight before Champions League clash
Pep Guardiola will have had one eye on Catalonia on Tuesday as Girona dished out a 4-2 hammering against La Liga rivals Real Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti's side travelled to Catalonia hoping to keep alive any slim hopes of retaining the Spanish league title, which now appears destined to return to Barcelona. And Real's latest loss served as a blueprint in how to beat Los Blancos, with a Champions League semi-final against Manchester City just a fortnight away.
Girona kept things in the family, too, as Valentin 'Taty' Castellanos scored all four goals for the hosts. The 24-year-old Argentinian is impressing in Spain on loan from New York City FC, another club that falls under the City Football Group umbrella.
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As if that wasn't enough damage done by City-affiliated stars, Etihad Stadium loanee Yan Couto also made an impact by assisting Castellanos' third goal of the evening. The Brazilian right-back, 20, is on his second season-long loan with Girona having received valuable playing time farmed out to Braga last term.
Ancelotti's side came unstuck at the Estadi Municipal de Montlivi, where Vinicius halved the deficit just before the interval, only for Real to lose the second period by the same scoreline. The Brazil winger also teed up Lucas Vazquez's consolation five minutes from full-time, bringing his tally to three goals and six assists in his last seven appearances.
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Real were forced to make several significant changes in Catalonia, with leading scorer Karim Benzema among the injured. Eduardo Camavinga has provided a safe solution at left-back for La Liga's titleholders but only appeared off the bench, while Ferland Mendy and David Alaba continued their absences on the sidelines.
Ancelotti will need Benzema and Camavinga in particular back in his XI for the home leg against City come May 9, judging by Tuesday's display. Los Merengues leaked four goals despite controlling more than 71% of possession in Catalonia, and they're all but certain to have a substantially smaller share against City.
Stopping the Citizens will be no mean feat in their current vein of form, either, with Guardiola's men having gone unbeaten in their last 16 games and just knocked Bayern Munich out of the previous round. Erling Haaland has looked particularly menacing of late with 16 goals and two assists across his last 10 appearances, including seven finishes in his last three Champions League outings.
That bodes badly for a Real defence that's just conceded four against a team simmering at mid-table in La Liga, while City can still win a European and domestic treble. The powers that be at the Etihad Stadium will be sure to tap up their contacts in Girona for the scoop on what went so right on Tuesday as City look to set up a rollicking of their own against Real.
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