Manchester City-Real Madrid is a match valid for the return leg of the Champions League semifinals and is played Wednesday at 9 pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
Those who went in search of a spectacle were not disappointed. In the first leg match at the “Bernabeu” Real Madrid and Manchester City also proved on the field that they are the best teams in the world. Pep Guardiola’s men reaffirmed their superiority in dribbling, going so far as to build more goal balls than the Blancos. Who in turn were more cynical finding the lead just when City’s goal was in the air.
It was the amazing Vinicius who made his mentor Carlo Ancelotti rejoice, confirming the fact that with “King Carlo” and the “Rey de Copas” in this event one somehow always has to reckon. The inertia in the second half seemed to have shifted to Real’s side, but midway through the second half a torpedo from the distance by Kevin De Bruyne brought the result back to a draw. And that is perhaps fitting, for what was seen on the pitch. A 1-1 draw that postpones everything until the return match at England’s Etihad Stadium. With no away goals rule, abolished already since last season, the Citizens will have no advantage: with any other draw it will be extra time and possibly penalties. Guardiola, however, will be able to count on the home factor, where his City has lost only one game this year between cups and the league: the only team to violate the “home” of the Premier League champions was Brentford last November. The one with the Bees remains one of the very few defeats for Haaland and his teammates, who arrive at the superfight with Real Madrid that is worth the Istanbul final on the back of 22 useful results in a row.
Manchester City hasn’t lost in 22 games
If not now when, one would be forgiven for thinking of the great opportunity that Manchester City has in front of them. The Citizens can avenge in front of their own public last year’s bitter disappointment – again in the semifinals – against Real Madrid and have access to the second Champions League final in their history after the one in 2021.
Benzema
In the meantime, Guardiola’s men are one step away from celebrating their third Premier League title in a row: last Saturday’s bombastic victory at home to Everton (0-3) and Arsenal’s simultaneous defeat against Brighton allowed City to move to +4 on the Gunners. This means that, should they win in their home match with Chelsea next Sunday, they will add another domestic title to their trophy cabinet. Which may not be the only one: in addition to the Champions League, Sheikh Mansour’s club is also in the running to win the FA Cup and can chase a mythological Treble. In the minds of Real Madrid’s players, on the other hand, there is only the cup with the big ears: in the league, the Merengues no longer have any concrete goals after La Liga went – now also arithmetically – the way of Barcelona. With a King’s Cup already in the bag for weeks, Ancelotti has only and exclusively in mind an encore in the most important cup: it would be the 15th triumph in the history of the Madrid club. The Italian coach rotated many players in the league match with Getafe, which he won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Asensio.
Manchester City-Real Madrid: latest lineup news
Guardiola will ask for overtime from several elements, “forced” to take the field even with Everton given the importance of the stakes. Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Stones will return to the starting eleven, while the only one unavailable remains defender Aké: despite the Catalan coach’s optimism, the Dutchman is unlikely to play.
Ancelotti and Guardiola
He will be able to field the best possible lineup also Ancelotti, who, compared to the match seven days ago, rejoins Militao – the Brazilian, having served his disqualification, is in the ballot with Rudiger, one of the best on the field in the first leg – and will also bring the returning Mendy to the bench. No problems either for Alaba, Benzema and Rodrygo, all three available. The only doubt concerns Camavinga, who came off badly from the match with Getafe.
The prediction
The first leg match only confirmed a balance that is also seen in the previous matches: three draws and three wins for both in the head-to-head between City and Real. We continue to see Guardiola’s team, which is living a stratospheric moment and has had the merit of avoiding coming out of the “Bernabeu” unscathed, as a defeat would have been much more complicated for De Bruyne and his teammates. Woe, however, to underestimate a team like Real Madrid. The Blancos, besides having a special feeling for this cup, showed in the first leg that they can hold their own against the Citizens. As seven days ago, it will be the English who will play the game, with Ancelotti’s men trying to make themselves dangerous on the counter-attacks. It is a match that can easily reserve at least three goals in total and should see both go for goals. City will most likely avoid defeat in 90′ regulation.
The probable lineups of Manchester City-Real Madrid
- MANCHESTER CITY (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Rúben Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Gündoğan, Grealish; Haaland.
- REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Eder Militão, Rüdiger, Alaba; Modrić, Kroos, Camavinga; Valverde, Benzema, Vinícius Jr.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
