After the 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu last week, the outcome of this significant UEFA Champions League quarter-final is still uncertain. Let’s preview and predict the second leg between Manchester City and Real Madrid, scheduled for Wednesday.
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Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Match Preview
Manchester City had a remarkable weekend, securing a dominant 5-1 victory over Luton Town on Saturday to claim the top spot in the Premier League standings. This triumph was further bolstered by defeats for Liverpool and Arsenal on Sunday, which enhanced City’s prospects of maintaining their lead.
Their journey towards potentially achieving back-to-back trebles continues with the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday. City aims to replicate last season’s success by eliminating Real Madrid for the second consecutive year and cementing their status as favorites for another European title.
In the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu last week, City narrowly missed out on a decisive victory, ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Federico Valverde’s late goal for Madrid. Despite leading twice during the match thanks to goals from Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Josko Gvardiol, City couldn’t secure a lead to take back to the Etihad Stadium.
However, City remains confident in their chances of progressing, given Madrid’s historical struggles in Champions League knockout ties after failing to win the first leg at home. City themselves have experience in this situation, having defeated Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad in last year’s semi-finals.
Bernardo Silva, who scored twice in last year’s encounter, has a strong record against Madrid, with four goals in seven career games against them. Additionally, Phil Foden is expected to return to the lineup after scoring in each of his last five Champions League starts.
City’s lineup faces no new concerns, with Ederson returning from injury and John Stones potentially featuring after missing the weekend’s game. Despite City’s favoritism, they remain wary of Madrid’s resilience, especially considering Madrid’s memorable comeback in the 2021-22 semi-finals.
Rodrygo, who scored against City last week, remains a threat for Madrid, although he missed their weekend fixture due to injury. Madrid will also be without Aurélien Tchouaméni due to suspension, posing a selection dilemma for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti is likely to rely on the experience of players like Toni Kroos, who has excelled under pressure in the Champions League this season. Madrid’s resilience and ability to stay competitive throughout matches make them formidable opponents for City, who must remain vigilant throughout the encounter.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Head-to-Head
In anticipation of Wednesday’s match between Manchester City and Real Madrid, brace yourself for an abundance of goal-scoring opportunities. Over the last five Champions League encounters between these two teams, a total of 23 goals have been scored, averaging 4.6 goals per game.
Remarkably, in two of these five matches, the opening goal was scored within the first two minutes. Kevin De Bruyne found the net after just one minute and 34 seconds in April 2022, while Silva scored after one minute and 49 seconds last Tuesday.
Manchester City has emerged victorious in each of their last three home games against Real Madrid. All of these wins occurred under the management of Pep Guardiola in this competition, with scorelines of 2-1 in 2020, 4-3 in 2022, and 4-0 in 2023.
Notably, the only previous coach to achieve four consecutive home Champions League victories against Real Madrid is Ottmar Hitzfeld. He accomplished this feat while leading Bayern Munich between 2000 and 2002.
Wednesday’s match will mark the eighth time that Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti have faced each other in the Champions League, and the sixth time with both managers at the helm of their current clubs. The only pairs of managers to face each other more frequently in the competition are Alex Ferguson and Ottmar Hitzfeld, and Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp, with nine encounters each.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Recent Form
Manchester City’s recent victory over Luton extended their impressive unbeaten streak at home to 41 games across all competitions, comprising 35 wins and six draws. This achievement leaves them just one game shy of matching their club-record streak of 42 matches, which was set between 1919 and 1921.
Wednesday’s upcoming match will mark Manchester City’s 200th appearance in major European competition. Remarkably, their tally of 113 wins in these contests equals that of Real Madrid in their first 200 continental matches.
Should Manchester City emerge victorious in this milestone game, they will join an elite group of clubs with some of the highest numbers of wins in their first 200 European matches. Currently, Ajax leads the pack with 118 wins, followed closely by Juventus with 115. Manchester City would level with Liverpool at 114 victories.
On the other hand, Real Madrid boasts an impressive record of being unbeaten in 90 minutes in their last 37 games. This streak dates back to a 3-1 loss to Atlético Madrid in La Liga last September, with 27 wins in this period. Among their 10 draws during this run, Real Madrid has faced Atlético Madrid in extra time on two occasions, winning in the Supercopa de España and losing in the Copa del Rey.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Team News and Predicted Line-up
Manchester City
- Manchester City expected to have a full-strength squad for the Champions League quarter-final return leg against Real Madrid.
- Kevin De Bruyne returned after missing the first leg due to illness.
- Ederson also returned, while Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake returned to the bench.
- Ake trained on Monday and is reported to be feeling good, potentially available for selection.
- Bernardo Silva, rested during the weekend, expected to return to the starting lineup.
- Phil Foden, who limped off in the first leg, was on the bench against Luton, suggesting he could be fit to feature.
- John Stones, not included in the squad for the Luton game, was omitted as a precautionary measure.
Manchester City Predicted Starting XI
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defenders: Walker, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol
- Midfielders: Bernardo, Rodri, De Bruyne
- Forwards: Foden, Haaland, Grealish
Real Madrid
- Forward Rodrygo will undergo assessment ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash against Manchester City.
- Rodrygo, who scored in the thrilling 3-3 draw with City last week, missed training on Friday but was included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the match against Mallorca.
- Vinicius Junior, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, and Eder Militao started on the bench in the previous match, indicating Ancelotti’s pre-planned strategy for the upcoming Champions League fixture.
- Ancelotti confirmed that Rodrygo was the only player who had a knock, indicating that others were fit.
- Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended after being booked in the first leg.
- Long-term absentees for Real Madrid include David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid Predicted Starting XI
The predicted starting XI for Real Madrid against Manchester City:
- Goalkeeper: Lunin
- Defenders: Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy
- Midfielders: Camavinga, Kroos, Valverde, Bellingham
- Forwards: Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Match Prediction
Our prediction leans slightly towards Real Madrid for this highly anticipated encounter, considering their experience and track record in European competitions. However, given the unpredictable nature of this tie and Manchester City’s formidable lineup, it wouldn’t be surprising to see City emerge victorious.
When and Where to Watch the Match LIVE in India?
The UEFA Champions League 2023-24 match between Manchester City and Real Madrid will be broadcast live in India on Sony Sports Network. The match is scheduled to Thursday, 18 April 2024 at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Viewers in India can watch the match live from Etihad Stadium. Additionally, for those who prefer online streaming, the match will be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV App
