Manchester City and Real Madrid are locked in a tight battle in their Champions League quarter-final tie after a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu last week.
On Wednesday, the reigning champions host the record winners at the Etihad Stadium, both aiming to secure a spot in the last four of the competition.
Match Preview
In the first leg, Man City took an early lead, but two quick goals from Real Madrid turned the tide, putting the hosts ahead 2-1 after just 14 minutes.
Midway through the second half, long-range strikes from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol gave City a 3-2 lead, only for Federico Valverde to equalize for Real Madrid.
Following the draw, Pep Guardiola’s side dominated Luton Town with a resounding 5-1 victory on Saturday, extending their unbeaten streak to 27 matches across all competitions.
City has been formidable in the Champions League this season, winning eight and drawing one of their nine games, scoring three goals in each outing, instilling confidence in their title defense.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, secured a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday, maintaining their impressive unbeaten run of 15 games across all competitions, with just one loss in their last 37 matches.
In the Champions League, Los Blancos have been equally impressive, with seven wins and two draws this season, scoring 21 goals in the process.
Notably, Real Madrid has won all four of their UCL away games this term, netting nine goals on their travels.
Head-to-Head:
In recent Champions League encounters, Manchester City has had the upper hand against Real Madrid, losing just one of their last seven meetings, with an average of four goals per game.
Team news:
Manchester City’s John Stones is the only injury concern, while Ederson and Kyle Walker return to action.
Real Madrid will be without Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba due to injury, and Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended for the second leg.
Prediction & Analysis:
With both teams in formidable form and the tie finely balanced, we anticipate another thrilling encounter.
Manchester City’s attacking prowess and Real Madrid’s resilience set the stage for an exciting clash.
Given their recent high-scoring draw, we predict another closely contested match, possibly leading to extra time or penalties to determine the victor.
- Manchester City 2-2 Real Madrid
