Real Madrid meet Manchester City at Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of a blockbuster semi-final in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Carlo Ancelotti’s defending champions overcame Chelsea to advance to the semi-finals for a third consecutive season, whilst Man City cruised past Bayern Munich to reach this stage.
Team News
Luka Modric is set to return for Real Madrid after he was utilised as a substitute in Real’s Copa Del Rey Final triumph over Osasuna last weekend, having missed their two previous games with a hamstring injury.
Ferland Mendy, (calf), Eder Militao (suspension) and Dani Ceballos (thigh) are ruled out of contention for a spot in the squad.
Man City will be without Nathan Ake after the Dutch defender aggravated a recent hamstring injury during their league win against Leeds.
Cole Palmer (ankle) however has travelled with City’s first-team squad but is unlikely to start.
When is Kick-Off?
Real Madrid host Man City at 9pm CET (8pm UK Time) on Tuesday 10 May at Santiago Bernabeu, live on BT Sport 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Real Madrid have avoided defeat in five of eight previous Champions League meetings against Manchester City (W3, D2, L3).
- Man City have won just one of four previous visits to Real Madrid (W1, L3), prevailing 2-1 in February 2020.
- Both teams have scored in each of their last four meetings, with Real scoring eight goals to City’s nine goals.
- Real Marid have conceded just twice in five home games in this season’s Champions League (W5), during which they’ve scored 12 goals.
- Just three of Erling Haaland’s 12 Champions League goals for City this season were scored on their travels.
Prediction
Having seen off Liverpool and Chelsea to get to this stage, you’ve to wonder if it could be a case of third time unlucky for Real in terms of English opposition in succession, especially given that they’re facing an in-form City unlike the Cityzens’ two other English rivals.
Real Madrid also aren’t exactly entering this tie in the best of form with two defeats in their last four games in all competitions – during which they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet, which I definitely don’t see them achieving in this game.
Man City meanwhile arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu unbeaten in their last 20 games across all competition, whilst they also comfortably dominated Leeds last weekend despite conceding a late sloppy goal to deny themselves a clean sheet.
If there is just one weakness within City’s game play then it has to be their end product because several players rushed their finishing touches upon goal against Leeds, which surely can’t be repeated here given that Real Madrid are superior opposition who will punish any sloppy play.
Either way this clash could prove crucial in determining who will advance to the final as title favourites and based on current form, I do fancy City to put their fate into their own hands ahead of the return leg.
Prediction: Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City
Result: Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City
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