Real Madrid hoping Bernabeu magic will work vs. Man City in Champions League semifinal, second leg

The term is “miedo escenico” and it translates as “stage fright,” though there’s far more to it than that. It’s a combination of insecurity, self-doubt, powerlessness and a sense that you are battling against the inevitable, attempting to subvert a destiny that fate has already written. Former Real Madrid forward/philosopher Jorge Valdano used it to describe what happens to opponents at the Bernabeu as they find themselves falling victim to the early signs of a comeback by the home team. Valdano himself borrowed it from Nobel prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and it has become part of the narrative not just of the club, but all of “Madridismo.”

It’s also what Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will be facing on Wednesday night when they travel to the Spanish capital to defend their 4-3 advantage from the first leg.

Rationally, Guardiola should tell himself and his players that it’s nonsense because, well, it is nonsense. In a rational world, there is no such thing. His players were in a Champions League final less than a year ago. His players also enjoyed 60% possession in the first leg, outshot Madrid 16-11 and had an Expected Goals (xG) that was a whole goal higher than their opponent’s. The pitch will be comparable in size at the Bernabeu, it will be 11 vs. 11, and his crew is top of the table in the Premier League, which is the best league in the world right now. There’s no reason to fear: just go out and play the game.

Never mind that noise you heard. There’s no beast under your bed. Not in your closet. Not in your head.

The problem is, sports aren’t wholly rational to begin with; in fact, football is probably a whole heck of a lot less rational than others, and if you believe in something, sometimes you can make it become reality. Whether you’re doing your hardest not to (like Man City), or whether you’re milking it as much as possible for it to be true (like Real Madrid).