Man City vs. Real Madrid: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Los Blancos make the trip to the Etihad with a three-goal advantage.

Manchester City have a mountain to climb against Real Madrid. | Kristian Skeie/UEFA/Visionhaus/Getty Images

With a trip to the Champions League quarterfinals on the line, Manchester City host Real Madrid in the second leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday evening.

The Citizens are still licking their wounds from a calamitous night at the Bernabéu last Wednesday. Not only did they concede a first-half hat-trick to Federico Valverde, but they also failed to salvage the result with a single goal.

Things went from bad to worse when Man City returned to domestic action and only managed a 1–1 draw with West Ham United at the weekend. With their Premier League title hopes looking bleak at best, Pep Guardiola’s men now face the tall task of trying to reverse a 3–0 deficit—or else they will crash out of Europe’s premier club competition much earlier than expected.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, have now strung together three consecutive wins across all competitions, scoring nine goals along the way. The 15-time European champions will hope to extend their winning streak with another memorable night at the Etihad, but they have a comfortable cushion that makes even a narrow defeat enough to advance to the quarterfinals.

No matter which team comes out on top in the tie, Man City and Real Madrid will have added another chapter to their ever-evolving Champions League rivalry.

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Man City vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction

Citizens Redeem Themselves Too Little Too Late

Erling Haaland was virtually a spectator in the first leg against Real Madrid. | Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

After taking such a beating in the first leg, Man City will come out with a point to prove on Tuesday. With the backing of the home crowd, Guardiola’s men will apply relentless pressure from the opening whistle, knowing that an early goal can give them life in what looks like an already-wrapped up tie.

It plays into the hosts’ favor that Real Madrid have imploded when things go wrong this season, committing unforced errors—especially inside their own half—when made even the slightest bit uncomfortable. Still, Los Blancos need only a moment to strike on the counter attack to put the tie out of reach.

In the end, a desperate Man City will walk away with the victory on the night, but a three-goal deficit is simply too deep a hole to dig themselves out of against the 15-time European champions.

• Man City’s form at home: For all their woes away from the Etihad as of late, the Citizens are still formidable opponents on their own pitch. Guardiola’s men are on a 14-game unbeaten streak at home, dating all the way back to November.
• Real Madrid’s Champions League edge: Thierry Henry said it best after the first leg: “I don’t know what they put in that jersey” on Champions League nights, but Real Madrid typically always find a way to succeed on their favorite stage, especially against Man City. Los Blancos have eliminated the Citizens from the competition in three of the last four years.
• Haaland’s sputtering output: The No. 9 has failed to get on the scoresheet in his last four appearances, a worrying sight for a team that needs at least three goals to even have a fighting chance on Tuesday.

Prediction: Man City 2–1 Real Madrid (Real Madrid advance 4–2 on aggregate)

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Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid

Rayan Cherki comes back into the fold for Man City. | FotMob

Guardiola will be keen to shake up his backline after a floundering 90 minutes at the Bernabéu. Vinicius Junior proved too much for Abdukodir Khusanov to handle, leaving Matheus Nunes next in line to try his luck against the Brazil international.

Nico O’Reilly was even worse on the left flank, and that was going against Brahim Díaz and Valverde. With the threat of Kylian Mbappé looming large, Guardiola’s trust likely lies with Rayan Aït-Nouri instead.

Rayan Cherki could also find his way into the XI after being overlooked in Man City’s last three matches. The Citizens were crying out for the Frenchman’s playmaking in Madrid and his services are needed now more than ever.

Joško Gvardiol remains unavailable after suffering a tibial fracture to his right leg back in January. Rico Lewis is also expected to miss the clash due to an ankle problem.

Man City predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-1-3-2): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guéhi, Aït-Nouri; Rodri; Cherki, Silva, Doku; Semenyo, Haaland.

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Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Man City

Real Madrid will avoid risking Kylian Mbappé unless absolutely necessary. | FotMob

Álvaro Arbeloa welcomed back a handful of big names for the second leg, headlined by Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. Both players made the trip to Manchester and are available to feature, but the Spanish boss likely will not risk either superstar unless his team is in desperate need of a spark off the bench.

Álvaro Carreras and David Alaba also returned from injury, though only the latter is in line to start. The 22-year-old, who missed the team’s last three matches with a calf injury, has the pressure of filling in for the injured Ferland Mendy on the left flank.

Long-term absentees Rodrygo, Éder Militão and Dani Ceballos join the Frenchman in the infirmary, along with Raúl Asencio, who is still nursing several issues that kept him back in the Spanish capital.

Apart from Carreras, expect a rather unchanged XI for Tuesday’s bout at the Etihad. Brahim Díaz retains his place alongside Vinicius Jr up top, while Thiago Pitarch continues to prove his worth in midfield.

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Man City (4-4-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Pitarch, Tchouaméni, Güler; Díaz, Vinicius Jr.

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What Time Does Man City vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?

• Location: Manchester, England
• Stadium: Etihad Stadium
• Date: Tuesday, March 17
• Kick-off Time: 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. GMT
• Referee: Clément Turpin
• VAR: Jérôme Brisard

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How to Watch Man City vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Strean
United States	Paramount+, DAZN USA
United Kingdom	Amazon Prime Video
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, DAZN Fast
Mexico	TNT SportsMax MexicoTNT Go

• MORE: Full list of Champions League broadcasters around the world

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