A tantalizing UEFA Champions League quarter-final sees the competition’s record winners host the defending champions in the first leg. Here is a preview.
Real Madrid welcome Manchester City to the Spanish capital for undoubtedly the biggest tie of a blockbuster round of matches.
Madrid and City meet in the UCL knockouts for the third consecutive season after Los Blancos knocked City out of the 2022 semi-finals before Pep Guardiola’s team got revenge in a 5-1 aggregate win at the same stage last year.
Hence, City have four wins and three draws from their previous ten matches against Madrid but each club has twice advanced from their four knockout ties.
Real Madrid looks set to waltz to another La Liga title this year despite some early-season pressure from underdog Girona.
Los Blancos started the season in flawless form as Jude Bellingham sensationally introduced himself to the Spanish league with five goals in the first four matches.
The midfielder also grabbed the 94th-minute winner in their opening Champions League game against Union Berlin, but they lost to Atletico Madrid on their next outing.
Real Madrid continued the dramatic nature of their games in Europe as they needed second-half winners to beat Napoli and Braga.
Bellingham’s match-winning brace in El Clasico galvanised Carlo Ancelotti’s men who went on a 14-game unbeaten run in all competitions afterwards.
The second half of the season has been almost plain sailing for the Spaniards, but a lone-goal victory over RB Leipzig in the UCL Round of 16 was followed by a difficult 1-1 draw in the second leg.
Indeed, Madrid now holds an eight-point advantage in the La Liga title race and has their sights on a league and Champions League double to end the campaign.
The reigning champions of Europe will pose a significant challenge in the last eight years, but Los Merengues knows they have to beat the best to regain their European title.
They are in the tougher half of the draw as they must also get past Bayern Munich or Arsenal to reach another final. Nevertheless, there is no doubting the quality and know-how of the Madrid squad to get the job done.
Man City must slay the beast again to conquer Europe, and they are showing no signs of letting up on their ambitions so far.
The Citizens began the season with wins over the likes of Burnley, Newcastle, Sheffield United, and Fulham in their first four matches displaying their immaculate control and game management.
They saw off West Ham United, beating them 3-1, and then also beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 despite losing influential midfielder Rodri to a red card.
A Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle led to more mishaps as a 2-1 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers was followed by another in a top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal which was decided by Gabriel Martinelli’s goal.
That loss to the Gunners was particularly catastrophic as they lost ground at the top of the table but then responded in typical fashion with wins over Brighton, Manchester United, and Bournemouth before drawing 4-4 with Chelsea after one of the most epic games of the season.
More points were dropped in successive league games against Liverpool, Tottenham, and Aston Villa, but they beat Luton and drew Crystal Palace before traveling to Saudi Arabia for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Mancunians have entered their usual late-season undefeated streak since then by winning 15 of their 17 matches in all competitions. As the title race hots up for the final ten games of the season, Chelsea also awaits in the FA Cup semi-final with Guardiola’s side competing on three fronts.
In terms of their European ambitions, City will be pleased that they play the first leg away while the decisive game is in their backyard in Manchester. That scheduling could be crucial as it means they will have their fans rather than the vast Santiago Bernabeu crowd trying to cheer them in the final moments of the tie.
This is set to be a huge game for all involved, and the intrigue should remain until the very end; it is so difficult to predict a winner between two of the best teams on the continent this season.
Match tickets
This UEFA Champions League Quarter-final first leg takes place on Tuesday, 9 April 2024 with kick-off scheduled for 8 PM UK time.
Match tickets are available for sale on both clubs’ websites with allocation guaranteed for season ticket holders and registered members.
Real Madrid fans are proud of their European heritage and they will thus be making it a special occasion on the night. City, on the other hand, is fully aware of the galvanizing effect the home fans can have with over 80,000 people in attendance.
The Man City players require the contribution of their traveling fans, and a considerable number of them are looking to make the trip. Those fans who are still in limbo over their match tickets can find Real Madrid vs. Man City tickets on a ticket resale site.
Team news
The Spanish capital side has had several star players sidelined this season, including defender, David Alaba, goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, and Eder Militao, who all suffered ACL injuries.
The latter two are close to returning to action and could even be on the squad for this game, while Dani Ceballos is another one who could be eyeing a return.
Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson have injury doubts for City at the time of writing, but they could both be available for the trip to Madrid.
Line-ups
Ancelotti has done a wonderful job of keeping his side at the forefront of all their competitions despite massive injury issues all season. The midfield is key to stopping City’s engine room, and Bellingham’s all-action presence must be harnessed.
Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Kroos, Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Guardiola could have a full-strength team to pick from, and aside from Rodri’s importance at the base of midfield, the in-form Phil Foden must step up to create chances and finish them off.
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake; Rodri, De Bruyne; Silva, Foden, Grealish, Haaland
Prediction
A tactical masterpiece awaits from both managers, and it will be intriguing to observe how each man approaches the first leg, considering how their two most recent ties went.
Madrid should feed off the atmosphere from their home crowd, which makes it a tougher prospect for visitors. This could go either way, depending on which team takes the lead. Real Madrid 3-2 Man City
