Man City v Real Madrid betting tips: Guardiola and Ancelotti butt heads in star-studded Champions League play-off

Man City meet Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off on Tuesday evening, a fixture which is sure to be a litmus test of their revival.

It looked to have hit the bricks dramatically on Saturday, as League One Leyton Orient led the champions before eventually going down 2-1.

It was a stark contrast from the 8-0 thrashing they put on poor Salford City in the previous round, but all of their recent tests pale in comparison to this evening.

 

Man City v Real Madrid betting tips

Both teams to score (Bet365 Super Boost - T&Cs apply) - 1/1

Real Madrid to win - 12/5

Over 3.5 goals - 21/20

 

Man City v Real Madrid betting tips

We have to acknowledge this is a good opportunity to back Real Madrid at a price they’re rarely seen at.

City are a tough nut to crack in home European fixtures, and these two tend to play out a draw, but we can’t miss the opportunity to bet against Pep Guardiola’s side at these odds.

It remains to be seen if they’re slowly turning a corner or if the one-step forward, one-step-back behaviour we’ve seen in recent weeks is just the new normal.

There’s still some bite missing in midfield, and with the powerful running of Jude Bellingham and the precision passing of Luka Modric, that’s an area that the visitors can exploit.

Rodri’s absence is a conundrum they’re yet to solve, and the debut of Nico Gonzalez was cut short at the weekend as he left proceedings with an innocuous injury.

If the Spaniard could match the level of the performances he’s put in for Porto this season, then he could be an answer to a lot of Guardiola’s problems.

Nathan Ake is also a doubt, but it's full steam ahead in attack, with Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne expected to support Erling Haaland.

 

 

However, a bigger issue may be between the sticks, as Stefan Ortega is likely to continue in place of Ederson. He concedes soft goals and has let in more than he should have this season.

Carlo Ancelloti is extremely short-handed at the back, meaning Raul Asencio is likely to partner Aurelien Tchouameni in the heart of the defence.

Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao are ruled out of this Champions League play-off.

Kylian Mbappe is fit and raring to go on the back of a crucial second-half equaliser in the Madrid derby at the weekend. He's found his feet since we last saw him on English soil in November, when Liverpool beat Real 2-0, scoring 15 goals in 19 matches.

All of the defensive absences, coupled with the soft mentality on show in Man City’s recent collapses against Brentford, PSG and Arsenal, point toward goals.

If you’re a new Bet365 customer, then you can take advantage of 1/1 on both teams to score, boosted from 4/9, with a maximum stake of £10 permitted.

For those of you who can’t exploit that offer, push the boat out and back over 3.5 goals at 21/20.

Both teams have scored in eight of nine meetings, with the previous meetings at the Etihad Stadium producing 21 goals and scorelines such as Man City’s 4-0 win in 2023 and a 4-3 thriller in 2022.

 

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