Manchester City head to Spain with a narrow aggregate advantage over Real Madrid as they look to break their duck and finally win the Champions League.
The most coveted trophy in European club football is up for grabs for one of the two teams with the final awaiting the winner.
Pep Guardiola’s side are 3-2 up following an impressive display at home last week, but Real Madrid wrapped up La Liga title at the weekend and spirits will be high.
The hosts will be buoyed by their 4-0 league win over Espanyol on Saturday, with Rodrygo (2), Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio all on the scoresheet.
Man City, on the other hand, continued their defence of the Premier League title in style with a dominant win over Leeds United to keep the pressure on rivals Liverpool.
Guardiola will perhaps feel as though his team should be further ahead in the tie after dominating much of the affair at the Etihad, but individual brilliance from Benzema and Vinicius Junior has kept Carlo Ancelotti’s side in with a shot.
Ancelotti became the first manager to win all five of Europe’s major leagues with Madrid’s league title victory at the weekend and will be helped by the return of Casemiro for this game.
The Brazilian missed the first-leg but is expected to start the reverse fixture. His inclusion will mean Federico Valverde drops to the bench. Rodrygo will be given another start after his goal-scoring exploits against Espanyol.
David Alaba could miss out through injury, however.
As for Man City, they will be boosted by Joao Cancelo’s return from suspension. He also missed the first-leg, but will come straight back into the team. Nathan Ake and John Stones are both carrying knocks so Oleksandr Zinchenko will start again in Kyle Walker’s absence.
Gabriel Jesus will lead the line following his run of impressive form of late.
Real Madrid vs Man City Potential Starting XI’s
More Stories
Sports During the COVID pandemic – Ben’s sports blog
World Health Organization, FIFA and Qatar launch gamified movement-tracking app
‘Osimhen would have been like Maradona in 86 World Cup’ – Pinnick