Real Madrid host Manchester City in the second leg of their knockout play-off in 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.
After they fought back twice to claim a 3-2 aggregate lead in the first leg, Real Madrid can advance to the Round of 16 with a win or draw.
Man City must win to stand any chance of overturning their deficit but a 1-0 win will send the tie to extra time and potentially penalties.
Team News
Antonio Rudiger could be available for Real Madrid after he missed the first leg with a thigh injury.
Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick, Luka Modric and Aurelien Tchouameni are one booking away from being suspended for the first leg of the Round of 16 if Real advance.
David Alaba (muscle), Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao (both knee) and Lucas Vasquez (hamstring) remain absent.
Man City could welcome Oscar Bobb back into contention for the first time this season if he passes a late fitness test, as he continues to build up his match fitness after a lengthy leg injury.
Nathan Ake (illness), Ruben Dias and Jack Grealish (both muscle) could return but Manuel Akanji (muscle) and Rodri (knee) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Real Madrid host Man City at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday 19 February at 9pm CET (8pm GMT), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Real Madrid have won one of their last five Champions League meetings against Man City (W1, D3, L1).
- Man City have won one of their last five Champions League trips to Real Madrid (W1, D2, L2).
- Both Real and Man City have scored in five of their last six Champions League meetings played in Madrid, except for a 1-0 home win to Real in May 2016 in second leg of their 2015-16 semi-final tie.
- Real Madrid failed to keep a clean sheet at home in the league phase (W3, L1), during which they scored 14 goals and conceded seven.
- Man City lost three of their four away games in the league phase (W1, L3), during which they scored seven goals and conceded 10.
Prediction
With no clean sheets in their last four matches in all competitions and having scrapped their way to a 1-1 draw away to Osasuna in La Liga last weekend, Real really must step it up a gear because City’s defence won’t be as kind as it was late on in the first leg after coming from behind twice to take a last-gasp win.
City on the other hand bounced back with a ruthless domestic demolition of Newcastle and if they can play like that here then I can see them scoring first, which does look like it could be decisive as to the outcome of this tie on aggregate but their defence must be more resilient than it was in the home leg.
Nevertheless this should once again be another difficult scrap but if City turn up with the same intensity which tore Newcastle apart, I can’t see them losing this but Real should at least nick a goal to force extra time really.
Prediction: Real Madrid 1-3 (AET) Man City
Result: Real Madrid 3-1 Man City (Real Madrid win 6-3 on aggregate)
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