Real Madrid face it off with Manchester City at the Berbabeu for the second leg on Wednesday, following one of the most extraordinary Champions League semi-final first-leg ties in recent memory.
The Citizens edged an outstanding battle 4-3 at the Etihad, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side are no strangers to stunning European comebacks in the Spanish capital.
Karim Benzema’s brace either side of Vinicius Junior’s brilliant goal has kept the tie alive for a Real Madrid side whose defence was also breached at will by Pep Guardiola’s side, who scored four times themselves through Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden in that clash.
Real quickly shifted their attention to beat Espanyol for four without reply and secure their status as La Liga champions with four matches remaining at the weekend.
While Real Madrid overturned a one goal deficit to knock out PSG from the competition in this season’s last-16 stage, they have never made it through to the final when losing the first leg of a semi-final.
Having dominated Real Madrid for almost the entirety of the first half at the Etihad, Manchester City will no doubt feel troubled to travel to the Bernabeu with only a one-goal lead advantage, and their is plenty of work still to be one for a restless Guardiola, who is growing more desperate for that elusive European title.
Recent history will certainly favour Guardiola’s side ahead of their trip to the Bernabeu, with the Premier League leaders only being eliminated in one of their last 10 Champions League ties when winning the first leg, and that came way back in Guradiola’s debut season to Monaco.
City bring a four-game winning streak in all competitions to the Spanish capital, scoring 16 goals in that period, and also conceding just one goal in their last nine away games.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City head to head
The two teams have previously met on nine occasions in all competitions, where City have claimed four victories while Real have won three, and they have drawn twice. City have scored 16 goals and conceded 15. In their last five meetings, City have won four while Real have won once.
Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City 04/05/16
Manchester City 4-1 Real Madrid 27/07/17
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City 26/02/20
Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid 07/08/20
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid 26/04/22
Real Madrid latest home form
Real Madrid have recently kept a patchy run of form at home, as they have lost two of their five most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed to defeat Espanyol 4-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 11 goals and conceded eight.
Real Madrid 3-1 PSG 09/03/22
Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona 20/03/22
Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe 09/04/22
Real Madrid 2-3(E) Chelsea 12/04/22
Real Madrid 4-0 Espanyol 30/04/22
Real Madrid latest away form
Real Madrid lost their last away game 4-3 to Manchester City in the Champions League. However, they have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having won each of their previous six matches. In their last five matches, they have scored 14 goals and conceded nine.
Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid 02/04/22
Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid 06/04/22
Sevilla 2-3 Real Madrid 17/04/22
Osasuna 1-3 Real Madrid 20/04/22
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid 26/04/22
Manchester City latest home form
Manchester City have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won each of their three most recent matches. Their last home defeat came 3-2 against Liverpool on April 16 in the FA Cup. In their last five matches, they have scored 16 goals and conceded nine.
Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool 10/04/22
Manchester City 2-3 Liverpool 16/04/22
Manchester City 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion 20/04/22
Manchester City 5-1 Watford 23/04/22
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid 26/04/22
Manchester City latest away form
Mancester City have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having been unbeaten in their 14 most recent matches. In their last away game, they defeated Leeds United 4-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 10 goals and conceded just one.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester City 14/03/22
Southampton 1-4 Manchester City 20/03/22
Burnley 0-2 Manchester City 02/04/22
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Manchester City 13/04/22
Leeds United 0-4 Manchester City 30/04/22
Real Madrid news
David Alaba missed the title-clinching win over Espanyol alongside Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic and Gareth Bale, but Alaba is likely to line up for the second leg this week.
Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao will also return from domestic suspensions to form a first-choice Real defence, with Rodrygo likely to keep his place.
Manchester City news
Guardiola will welcome Joao Cancelo back following his first-leg suspension, but he has admitted that Kyle Walker’s ankle problem could keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Nathan Ake picked up a knock in the win over Leeds and he will need to be assessed alongside John Stones.
Prediction and Odds
Manchester City will put forward their best form of defence by creating more attacks on their opponents backline.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will keep their faith on Benzema and Vinicius Junior who are capable of scoring goals out of nowhere. So we are expecting a draw in the end of the contest.
Odds: 1 2.30 X 2.00 2 2.20
Probable outcomes
Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City
Real Madrid 2-2 Manchester City
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City
Real Madrid 2-3 Manchester City
Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester City
