Real Madrid vs Manchester City Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 UEFA Champions League | Quarter-Final
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THE FACTS
When is Real Madrid vs Manchester City on and what time does it start? Real Madrid vs Manchester City will take place on Tuesday 9th April, 2024 – 20:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Real Madrid vs Manchester City? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Real Madrid vs Manchester City on in the UK? Real Madrid vs Manchester City will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Real Madrid vs Manchester City in the UK? Real Madrid vs Manchester City can be streamed live on the discovery+
THE LOWDOWN
REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have played 42 matches across all competitions so far this season and, quite remarkably, only lost to one team. Two defeats at the Metropolitano against city rivals Atletico Madrid are the only losses incurred by Los Blancos as they aim to win the double, sitting comfortably at the top of La Liga.
They had the weekend off as attention turned to the Copa del Rey final in Spain so should be nice and fresh for the visit of Manchester City to the Bernabeu. Madrid have perhaps been unconvincing at times this season but do appear very strong version of the 14-time European champions and this is arguably a tie between the two favourites for the competition.
MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are aiming to achieve a historic ‘double treble’ this season with this week’s trip to the Spanish capital crucial for the end goal. The Cityzens kept up their title ambitions at the weekend in the Premier League with an impressive 4-2 defeat of Crystal Palace after going behind early on at Selhurst Park.
That victory came on the back of a 4-1 win over Aston Villa in the week, which was the first time in 18 Premier League matches that City had won a game by more than two goals. They have not been at their fluent best throughout the campaign but remain a machine-like winning side that may well have timed their peak for the run in.
THE TEAM NEWS
REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti has had several injury issues throughout the season but the recent return of Eder Militao means that Real Madrid only have a couple of absentees with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois suffering a recent setback and David Alaba also still missing with a knee injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-2-1-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Eder Militao, Rudiger, Camavinga; Tchouameni; Valverde, Kroos; Bellingham; Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo
UNAVAILABLE: Courtois (Injured), Alaba (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola did hint at Kyle Walker returning from his hamstring injury for at least a part of this two-legged tie but the England defender is expected to remain unavailable for this first-leg. Nathan Ake is also unavailable, whilst Josko Gvardiol is a doubt, too.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Akanji, Stones, Ruben Dias, Lewis; Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland
UNAVAILABLE: Ake (Injured), Walker (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Gvardiol (Injured)
THE KEY STATS
- Real Madrid are featuring in a competition record 39th European Cup/Champions League quarter-final (W32 L6 of their previous 38 Q-F ties).
- Overall, this is Real Madrid’s 48th UEFA competition quarter-final. Five more than Bayern who are second on the list with 43.
- Real Madrid are making their 20th UEFA Champions League quarter-final appearance, behind only Bayern (22).
- Real Madrid have won their last 11 UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties.
- Including the 2021/22 final, this is the ninth time Real Madrid have faced English opposition in their last 11 Champions League knockout ties.
- Real Madrid have won the first leg in 11 of their last 13 UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties (D1 L1). Their last first leg defeat at this stage of the competition was in 2015/16 against Wolfsburg (L 2-0 away).
- Real Madrid have won their previous six UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties against English teams, including in each of the last three seasons.
- Real Madrid have won seven and drawn one of their previous eight UEFA Champions League matches this season.
- The 4-0 defeat away from home in the 2022/23 semi-final second leg against Man City is Real Madrid’s only defeat in their last 15 UEFA Champions League matches (W12 D2).
- Real Madrid have won nine and drawn two of their last 11 UEFA Champions League matches at home.
- The last time Real Madrid failed to score in a UEFA Champions League knockout phase match at home was in April 2011 vs Barcelona (L 2-0 SF).
- Real Madrid have only failed to score in one of their last 72 UEFA Champions League matches at home.
- In this game, Carlo Ancelotti is set to become the first coach to reach the landmark of 200 matches in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final
- This is Man. City’s seventh successive season in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals – the best current streak of any team. They had not appeared in the quarter-finals of the European Cup or Champions League prior to this sequence.
- Man. City are aiming for a fourth successive Champions League semi-final appearance
- Man. City are unbeaten in their last 22 UEFA club competition matches (W16 D6), since losing away from home against Real Madrid in May 2022 (L 3-1 SF 2nd leg). Only Ajax and Espanyol have achieved this feat previously. Ajax’s run ended at 22 matches (1994-1996) *includes 1995 Intercontinental Cup; Espanyol went on to play 26 successive UEFA matches without a defeat (2006-2019).
- Man. City are unbeaten in their last 21 UEFA Champions League matches (W16 D5). Only Man. United have had a longer unbeaten run in the competition: 25 Manchester United 19/09/2007–05/05/2009, 21 Manchester City 06/09/2022 – present.
- Man. City are the first English club to win ten successive UEFA Champions League matches (GS to F), Only Bayern and Real Madrid have won ten in a row in the competitions; 15 wins FC Bayern München 18/09/2019 - 25/11/2020, 10 wins FC Bayern München 02/04/2013 - 27/11/2013, 10 wins Real Madrid CF 23/04/2014 - 18/02/2015.
- Man. City have scored three goals in all their eight UEFA Champions League matches this season. They are the first team to score three goals or more in eight consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League.
- Man. City have not lost the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout phase tie since a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham in the quarter-finals in April 2019. Their first leg record since then is P11 W9 D2.
- Man. City have lost only one of their last 12 UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams (W8 D3).
- Man. City have won four and drawn one of their last six matches against Real Madrid (W4 D1 L1).
- Man. City are unbeaten in their last six matches in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals (W4 D2).
THE PREDICTION
As mentioned, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the winner of this quarter-final tie go on and win the competition this season so there would therefore be a decent shred of logic to the suggestion these two will cancel each other out and it could be a low-scoring affair. However, given the fact Madrid will aim to make the most of their home advantage, they should be on the front foot. City, on the other hand, have defensive injuries and have been susceptible at the back but have an obvious abundance of talent in attack so both teams scoring would seem a good bet.
TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
