All the roads in Spain will lead to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid as reigning champions Real Madrid lock horns with Manchester City in a scintillating clash of the giants.
UEFA Champions League and Real Madrid is a love story written by the gods and performed by the player in whites. Los Blancos are vying to establish their authority in Europe once again as they look to put the swords to Pep’s men for successive campaigns.
Ancelotti’s men enter the contest on the back of lifting the Copa Del Rey trophy after a brace from Brazilian winger Rodrygo. And when the sides kick off in the Spanish capital, all eyes will once again be glued to Real Madrid’s Brazilian flair of Rodrygo and Vinicius.
The Spanish heavyweights are riding on a winning streak of 5 successive CL wins while keeping clean sheets in three of them and have also rattled the net in their previous 16 encounters.
With Barcelona destined to lift the Spanish crown, Los Blancos will have their eyes laid on their 15th CL title and one step towards it would be a magical victory against Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are currently the most in-form team across Europe but despite their recent victories, the Sky Blues can’t make the mistake to take the reigning champions lightly.
The memories of the historic comeback by Los Blancos will be fresh in Guardiola’s mind who looks to put a full stop to Madrid’s dominance in the competition. And Manchester City’s Norwegian goal-scoring machine of Erling Haaland could play a huge role if the Citizens have to return to Manchester with an advantage.
With Militao ruled out of the first leg, Haaland will be licking his lips when he faces a team where he could probably end up in the future. With Manchester City alive in all three competitions, Pep Guardiola could add another treble to his CV and a first-leg advantage could be the first step towards establishing his dominance in the world.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City confirmed line-ups
Real Madrid XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Camavinga; Valverde, Kroos, Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Manchester City XI (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish; Haaland
Real Madrid vs Manchester City LIVE updates
Real Madrid and Manchester City's next fixtures
Los Blancos return to La Liga when they host Getafe next on the 14th of May. Real Madrid then travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City in the reverse fixture of their Champions League clash on the 18th of May.
Manchester City looks to cement their place at the pinnacle of the PL table when they travel to Merseyside to face Everton on the 14th of May before hosting Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League tie on the 18th of May.