Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off against one another in the worldwide competition, the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid advanced on aggregate after a 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig. However, it was Rodrygo who came on at half and provided a spark. Consequently, Vinicius Junior scored the lone goal for the Spanish side.
But, Manchester City last played FC Copenhagen to a 3-1 victory. Erling Haaland was able to score before the halftime whistle blew. Beforehand, Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez scored to give their side a comfortable cushion.
How is Pep Guardiola going to set up his squad against Real Madrid, the Spanish powerhouse? Is Carlo Ancelotti, the Real manager, going to play his key striker?
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Preview
Real Madrid vs Man City…
A modern classic ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/N7n9VDlQyB
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 8, 2024
Real Madrid
Real Madrid is the home team and hosts Man City at their stadium, the Bernabeu, giving them a slight advantage against the team in the English Premier League. Carlo Ancelotti will hope to beat Pep Guardiola with his squad reaching full fitness.
In Real Madrid’s past few games, Bellingham and Vinicius Junior have been in top form. Junior has the most goal involvement out of any player in the competition, scoring 14 goals and providing 13 assists. Similarly, Jude Bellingham has scored or assisted in the six games he’s played in the UCL so far.
Manchester City
But, Manchester City has been in great form lately, with stars like Phil Foden and Erling Haaland scoring numerous goals per match.
On the other side of the coin, Manchester City has a few key players to look out for. Kevin De Bruyne scored two goals, Rodri made hundreds of line-breaking passes, and Erling Haaland scored against Crystal Palace. And don’t forget the Mancunian, Phil Foden, who scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa last week.
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Probable Starting Lineups
Real Madrid: Lunin (GK), Carvajal, Rudiger, Militao, Mendy, Tchouameni, Valverde, Kroos, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
Manchester City: Ederson (GK), Stones, Dias, Akanji, Lewis, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland, Bernardo, Grealish
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Head-to-Head
If we were looking at betting odds, this would be a tough game to put any type of money on. Real Madrid and Manchester City have always been a tense battle throughout the years. In fact, these two sides have played one another for the last three seasons in the UEFA Champions League.
Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, whether the organizers are doing it on purpose or it really is just the luck of the draw, we don’t mind.
Seeing these two powerhouses face off against one another so early on in an intense competition is not commonplace. Usually, top teams like Man City and Real Madrid might get “easier” draws in the knockout stages. However, this year, Real Madrid and Man City face one another in the first leg of the upcoming quarter-final this week.
Manchester City travel to the Bernabeu stadium this week to see if they can give Real payback for their 2021-2022 victory in the semi-final round. In the last four meetings, Manchester City have scored 10 goals, whereas Real Madrid have scored seven. If Manchester City can continue scoring, using Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, they could win the game.
Predictions see Manchester City at a 28.3% advantage against Real Madrid, who only has a 15% chance of being favored to win. Lower down on the table includes PSG, Arsenal, and Barcelona, all coming in between 9 and 14.7% chance of winning the UEFA Champions League in 2023-2024.
Injury Report
Kyler Walker and Nathan Ake are likely unavailable for the match since they weren’t fit for training on Monday. Phil Foden should return to the starting lineup after resting one game post-Aston Villa hat trick in the Premier League. Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, and David Alaba won’t be on the squad list for this game.
About the Author
Emma is an athlete and sports fan who currently plays professional soccer. Growing up, she reached a high level in track and field, distance running, and soccer on both club and university teams.