Real Madrid vs Manchester City predictions, H2H and match preview for this Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League last 16, 1st Leg match. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as Pep Guardiola takes his City team to the Bernabeu.
by Mark Sochon – @marksoc1
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Preview
A blockbuster Champions League last 16 tie kicks off on Wednesday evening as Real Madrid play host to defending Premier League champions Manchester City at the Bernabeu. It’s Zidane vs Guardiola but it’s also a clash between two teams who will believe they can go all the way and lift the trophy in Istanbul later this year.
Real Madrid may have won this competition 13 times but they head into this last 16 showdown as the underdogs, at least with the bookies. They also do so on the back of two poor results in La Liga with a home draw against Celta followed up by a shock away defeat to Levante. Even so, they look a far more convincing overall outfit than the side that crashed out at this stage 12 months ago.
The main change has been defensive improvements with the introductions of Fede Valverde and Ferland Mendy into the regular starting XI making them much more solid. However there are problems in the final third still and they weren’t helped by a potentially season-ending injury to Eden Hazard which is a real blow to both the player and his coach.
Manchester City meanwhile will be extra determined to deliver the goods in this competition this season for two primary reasons. Firstly they are too far back to catch Liverpool in the Premier League title race so can afford to put virtually all their eggs in this basket. Secondly, this may be the last time we see City in the Champions League for at least a couple of years with a UEFA ban looming over them although it’s something that may well still be overturned on appeal.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Predictions
Score Prediction: 1-1 Draw
While these teams and these coaches may be largely associated with attacking football, this could be much more like a typical cagey 1st Leg. Real Madrid have got some good results in big away European knockout matches in recent years so they won’t necessarily despair if this ends up all square.
Los Blancos are likely to pack the midfield again with their attacking options limited by the injury to Hazard. That should allow them to at least limit the threat of a City side that is sweating over the fitness of Raheem Sterling.
We’re going for a low-scoring draw here with the tie to be decided in three weeks in Manchester.
UEFA Champions League Last 16 Betting Tips (18+)
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Real Madrid vs Manchester City H2H
- The clubs have met 4 times previously in European football.
- Real Madrid won 3-2 at the Bernabeu and drew 1-1 in Manchester during the 2012-13 group stage.
- They were also 1-0 aggregate winners in the 2015-16 Semi-Finals with the only goal coming in the 2nd Leg in Madrid.
Predicted Line Ups
Real Madrid Team:
Courtois – Mendy, Ramos, Varane, Carvajal – Casemiro, Kroos, Valverde – Isco, Modric – Benzema (4-3-2-1)
City Team:
Ederson – Mendy, Laporte, Fernandinho, Walker – David Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne – Sterling, Aguero, Bernardo Silva (4-3-3)
We have match previews and predictions for every game in La Liga this season plus some European and Copa del Rey games.
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