Real Madrid are in Manchester to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at 21:00 CEST this evening, as they look to make back to back Champions League finals. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Los Blancos are facing a tricky task to come away from the Etihad with a win, but if one team will back themselves to do so, it is Real Madrid.
Both teams come into the tie with almost fully fit squads, with Nathan Ake set to be the only missing player for City.
The big debate for Carlo Ancelotti has been what to do in defence. Eder Militao has led the defence with excellence throughout the season, until the last few weeks, when he has committed a number of mistakes costing goals. Meanwhile Antonio Rudiger started off poorly in Madrid, but has gradually settled in, and in the first leg while Militao was suspended, he tackled Erling Haaland as well as could be hoped.
Whether one or both start, perhaps moving David Alaba has been the question circling around the Madrid press for the last eight days. Diario AS believe that Carlo Ancelotti will drop Militao and go for the same line-up as was seen at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Marca on the other hand believe that Ancelotti will retain faith in Militao, and relegate Rudiger back to the bench. Otherwise, neither paper expect any changes from the Italian, with Eduardo Camavinga’s knee twist seemingly not too much of an issue.
Equally, no changes are expected from City either, with Guardiola commenting that fans should not worry, ‘I’m not overthinking’. It appears both managers are sure of their best line-ups, and it may well be the options of the bench that change matters, with both starting XIs locked at 1-1 from the first leg.
Marca predicted line-ups:
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Akanji; Rodri, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva; De Bruyne, Grealish y Haaland.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Kroos, Modric, Valverde; Rodrygo, Benzema y Vinicius.
