With Manchester City versus Real Madrid just hours away, we take a look at how both teams might line up for this highly-anticipated affair. Two experienced managers go head-to-head with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti both seeking to get one over the other.
🤩 THE SEMIS ARE HERE! 👊#UCL pic.twitter.com/8v2SKsTyGJ
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 26, 2022
13-time European champions Real Madrid visit last year’s UEFA Champions League finalists Manchester City in the semifinals of Europe’s elite club competition, and Guardiola may have a selection dilemma on his hands. Both of City’s utility right-backs are unavailable with Kyle Walker injured and João Cancelo suspended, and the City boss could be forced to use one of Nathan Aké or Oleksandr Zinchenko on the right side of his defence dependent on the fitness of John Stones. Another option would be to shift a midfield player into the backline, with Rodri a potential candidate to fill the void at right-back.
Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Ilkay Gündogan were all rested at the weekend and the quartet may feature from the first whistle on Tuesday evening. Gabriel Jesus staked his claim for retaining his place in the XI as the Brazilian forward netted four goals in Man City’s 5-1 win against Watford, however Jesus could also play an important role off the bench in the latter stages of the contest.
Real Madrid manager Ancelotti has selection headaches of his own with David Alaba and Casemiro both doubtful for the first leg in Manchester, and Eden Hazard is ruled out with an ankle injury. Ancelotti’s squad should mostly be fresh, fit and raring to go with Los Blancos having last played six days ago.
Possible Manchester City XI:
Ederson; Stones, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Rodri, Gündogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden, Bernardo.
Possible Real Madrid XI:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Modrić; Asensio, Benzema, Vinícius Júnior.
This one is big! 👊
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 26, 2022
Who will take the first leg?#UCL pic.twitter.com/xsTVD1eZCj
Previously in the quarter-finals, the Citizens recorded a slender 1-0 win over Atlético Madrid, meanwhile Real edged past UCL holders Chelsea in an enticing two-legged tie in the English and Spanish capitals, which ended 5-4 on aggregate in favour of the men from Madrid.
Karim Benzema has scored a sensational 39 goals in 40 appearances this season (all competitions) and is responsible for more than half of Real’s 22 UCL strikes this season. His four goals versus Chelsea took the French striker to 12 goals in Europe this season, more than any player still in the Champions League. No player has registered more assists in the Champions League this term than Vinícius Júnior with six.
Real are in the UCL semis for a record 15th time, 10 of which have come in the last 12 years. On the other hand City are set to feature in a second successive European semifinal, and just their third overall. This will be the 20th time Guardiola comes up against Real Madrid, and the ex-Barcelona manager has taken 11 wins and four defeats to Real. In six previous meetings between the two managers, Guardiola has got the better of Ancelotti on four occasions compared to two victories for the Italian statesman.
This will not be the first time City and Real meet at this stage of the competition, having faced one another in the 2015/16 semis. The Spanish giants emerged victorious on their way to capturing the first of three consecutive Champions League titles. More recently, the two sides shared a pitch in the last-16 two years back as Guardiola’s blue army avenged the defeat four years prior.
The return leg takes place next Wednesday, May 4, as Man City make the trip to Madrid where one of the two teams will book their spot in the Champions League Final on May 28 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.
