MY ACCOUNT
– Manchester City have won 16 of their last 18 league and cup matches
– Real Madrid have scored 13 goals in their last four CL matches in England
– Recommended bet: Manchester City to win and both teams to score
Manchester City and Real Madrid are two of the strongest units in world football but two brilliant individual goals provided the highlights of last week’s first-leg draw at the Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior’s long-range stunner gave Champions League holders Real the lead over trophy favourites City, who hit back in the 67th minute through Kevin De Bruyne’s wonderful strike from distance.
The Citizens finished the game strongly and should be confident of progressing to the final in the home leg.
However, Real relish their clashes with Premier League clubs, beating Chelsea, City and Liverpool on their way to the trophy last season and eliminating Jurgen Klopp’s Reds and Frank Lampard’s Blues this term, so a dramatic contest could be on the cards.
Team news
Manchester City’s only injury concern is over defender Nathan Ake, who is still working his way back to full fitness.
John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish should come back into the starting line-up after being rested for Sunday’s 3-0 win at Everton.
Real Madrid centre-back Eder Militao is available after missing the first leg through suspension.
Eduardo Camavinga is expected to be fit despite suffering a knock against Getafe at the weekend and full-back Ferland Mendy returned to action in that game following a calf problem.
The stats
Manchester City have won 16 of their last 18 matches in all competitions.
Three of the Citizens’ last five Champions League matches have ended 1-1.
City have won their Champions League home games this term by an aggregate score of 20-2.
Real Madrid have scored 13 goals on their last five Champions League trips to England.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have lost only one of their last 13 Champions League matches.
Real have scored the opening goal in 13 of their last 15 games in all competitions.
Prediction
Manchester City are closing in on a famous treble and they should prove too sharp for Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium, where they have beaten Borussia Dortmund 2-1, Copenhagen 5-0, Sevilla 3-1, RB Leipzig 7-0 and Bayern Munich 3-0 in this season’s Champions League.
City boss Pep Guardiola will be well aware of the threat posed by Real, who lost 4-3 at the Etihad in last season’s semi-final first leg before sealing an extraordinary 6-5 aggregate victory in Madrid.
This season Real beat Liverpool 5-2 at Anfield in the last 16, having trailed 2-0 after just 14 minutes, before a 4-0 aggregate victory over Chelsea in the quarter-finals and they are well capable of getting on the scoresheet.
However, they have lost five of their last nine away games in LaLiga, going down 4-2 at Girona and 2-0 at Real Sociedad in their most recent domestic trips, and City, on a run of 16 wins in 18 games, should claim an entertaining second-leg victory.
Back Manchester City to win and both teams to score, available at 13/8 with LiveScore Bet.
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