Real Madrid vs Manchester City verdict, predicted score, key stats and suggested bets
- Matty Briggs
- 8 May 2023
Manchester City continue their pursuit of Champions League glory against holders and 14-time winners Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.
Man City are in fine form heading into this fixture, with a genuine chance of winning the Champions League for the first time.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Champions League semi-final first leg, Tuesday May 9, Kick-off 8.00pm, live on BT Sport
Predicted score
Suggested bets
Manchester City to beat Real Madrid
Real Madrid vs Manchester City BTTS to score, yes
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Over 2.5 goals
Key stats
The last five matches between these two sides in all competitions have seen over 2.5 goals.
These two sides have only met eight times competitively, with both sides winning three times.
Real Madrid have kept clean sheets in each of their last three Champions League matches and have not conceded a goal in their last 346 minutes in this competition.
Real have lost four of their last 12 games in all competitions, including defeats to Girona and Real Sociedad in the last month.
Real have conceded at least one goal in their last four games in all competitions.
Man City are on a 20-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Man City have kept three clean sheets in their last 10 games in all competitions.
Real Madrid vs Man City team news
Eder Militao is banned for the hosts, so David Alaba will likely partner Antonio Rudiger at the back. Eduardo Camavinga should continue in his makeshift left-back role with Ferland Mendy struggling. Luka Modric is likely to start in midfield with Aurelien Tchouameni making way.
Nathan Ake (hamstring) looks doubtful after being substituted versus Leeds. Kyle Walker could get a recall to try and keep Vinicius Junior quiet.
Meanwhile, Rodri, John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish are all set to be recalled after missing the win over Leeds.
Verdict
Manchester City will travel to the Spanish capital as odds-on favourites to end their wait for a Champions League title on Tuesday night.
Pep Guardiola's men are in fine form too and are unbeaten in 20 games, winning their last 10 in the Premier League. They are in pole position to win the Premier League and could still land an unprecedented treble with Manchester United the opponents in the FA Cup final in June.
City have been sweeping everyone aside domestically, but they have been conceding goals in victory. Leeds, Fulham, Leicester and Southampton have all managed goals against City of late, albeit consolation efforts.
In Europe, City have found things tougher and Bayern Munich were the last team to stop City winning in the quarter-final last month. Bayern actually had more possession and more shots on goal in the 1-1 draw, but City were already 3-0 up from the first leg at The Etihad.
This time, City are away first and they look in the type of form to take a lead back to The Etihad. City are unbeaten in Europe this season, but they have struggled to win away from home. They have drawn with Copenhagen, Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern, and relied on their unbelievable home form to get them through.
Despite this, City have been building real momentum and it would not be a great surprise if they put in a real statement of a performance at the Bernabeu.
Pep Guardiola managed to rotate a number of his stars in the win over Leeds and that could be the difference maker against a Real side who were at full strength in the Copa de Rey final win over Osasuna.
The minnows pushed Real all the way and levelled on 58 minutes before Rodrygo scored his second of the game on 70 minutes to win the trophy. That may well have taken some of the zip out of a Real side who have lost twice in La Liga recently to Girona and Real Sociedad.
Real have also been leaking goals and it's five games since Carlo Ancelotti's men have kept a clean sheet. However, City will not be hoodwinked by Real's faltering of late, because in the Champions League Los Blancos are a different team.
Ancelotti's men have won this competition five times in the last decade and have not conceded a goal in their last 346 minutes in the competition.
They will be looking to knock out a third English team in this season's knockout stage, but face a much tougher test against City than they did in the wins over out-of-form Liverpool and a currently bereft Chelsea side.
City have been relentless of late and with Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Jack Grealish, John Stones and Ruben Dias all able to watch with their feet up at the weekend, this could tip the first leg in the favour of the visitors.
