Manchester City vs Real Madrid – Match preview | OneFootball

Real Madrid take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, February 11th, at 21:00 CET in the first leg of their Champions League play-off meeting. With the last two winners of the competition finishing outside the top 8 in the league phase, a two-legged round will decide who progresses to the last 16.

Los Blancos come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in La Liga at the weekend, where they were unfortunate to not have won after a spirited second half display. In their last two Champions League matches, they have struck eight times with Rodrygo bagging four goals in the process.

As far as the team news goes, Carlo Ancelotti will be without Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Eder Militao, who have been joined on the sideline by Lucas Vazquez. The Spaniard picked up an injury in the Madrid Derby on Sunday. Meanwhile, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick, Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric are one yellow card away from suspension in the second leg.

There are unlikely to be too many surprises in the starting eleven for Carlo Ancelotti’s side and their only change from the Atletico Madrid fixture could see Eduardo Camavinga come into midfield. Federico Valverde is expected to play at right back in Vazquez’s absence, thus opening up a role for the French youngster in the engine room in Tuesday’s clash with Manchester City.

The hosts, Manchester City, won their FA Cup fourth round bout against Leyton Orient at the weekend as they came from behind to claim a 2-1 result. Abdukodir Khusanov scored his maiden goal for the club after joining from Lens in the winter while Kevin De Bruyne, who has an envious record against Real Madrid, bagged the winner after coming off the bench in the second half.

Pep Guardiola will be without Oscar Bobb and Rodri for the game, while Jeremy Doku, Nathan Ake and Nico Gonzalez are doubtful. Therefore, a decision on their participation could be taken only hours ahead of the match. For the Citizens, there is only one player who risks suspension in the second leg due to an accumulation of yellow cards – Ruben Dias.

As with Real Madrid, no major surprises are expected from Pep Guardiola either as far as the line-up goes. A number of first-choice Manchester City men are going to get back into the team after being rested at the weekend, including Erling Haaland, who will look for his first ever goal against the Whites on Tuesday. Elsewhere, it will be interesting to see if Ederson starts in goal or Stefan Ortega is picked.

The referee for the match is the 42-year-old Frenchman, Clement Turpin, under whose officiating Real Madrid have not lost in eight matches. The Whites will hope their record under the referee prevails and that they can grab their first ever win in regulation time at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday to take a vital advantage back to the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of next week’s second leg.