Manchester City will face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. Pep Guardiola’s team is prepared for the challenge ahead. This marks the fifth consecutive meeting between these two clubs in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Real Madrid will be missing several key players, including Eder Militao, David Alaba, Alvaro Carreras, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Rodrygo due to injuries. Despite these absences, Real Madrid remains a formidable opponent, especially at home.
Here’s the latest injury news for Manchester City and my predicted starting eleven for tonight’s match.
Latest Manchester City injury and team news.
Manchester City has only two first-team players unavailable for this match. Josko Gvardiol is out due to a fracture in his right leg sustained against Chelsea earlier this year. He is expected to return later in the season. Mateo Kovacic is back in training after surgery for an ongoing Achilles issue, but tonight’s match comes too soon for him.
The squad for tonight’s match was announced yesterday. Erling Haaland is part of the traveling squad after being rested during City’s recent FA Cup victory over Newcastle. The strength of the squad highlights the options available to Pep Guardiola.
Predicted City starting eleven.
The starting lineup for Manchester City appears predictable, given the importance of the match against Real Madrid. I anticipate Pep Guardiola will favor experience in defense and control in midfield, potentially starting Rayan Cherki on the right. Cherki can support the midfield alongside Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Nico. However, there are several players who also make a strong case for starting tonight.
One of those is Abdukodir Khusanov, who has performed well throughout the season. His pace and strong defensive skills could be crucial against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. He could either start at right-back or center-back, but it’s likely that Dias and Guehi will be the central defenders.
Jeremy Doku, Omar Marmoush, or Savinho could also be options for the starting lineup, considering their strong performances against Newcastle. Each brings unique qualities to the attack, with Doku and Savinho showcasing speed and dribbling. Marmoush, who scored twice against Newcastle, could also be an option alongside Haaland and Antoine Semenyo in the lineup. This strategy might allow City to pressure Real Madrid effectively.
I expect Pep Guardiola to control the game as usual. Below is my predicted starting lineup for City.