Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Champions League
Date: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid).
City defensive record on the road in the Champions League is far from impressive, with the Blues keeping two clean sheets in their last nine games to go.
Both of those shutouts came against Shakhtar Donetsk and during the run of nine matches, such as the unfancied side Dinamo Zagreb, Schalke, Hoffenheim and Lyon have all scored at home against Guardiola's men.
Madrid have failed to score only once at home in the Champions League in the last nine years and the failure of which came in their final group game last season when they qualified for the knockout stage.
Indeed, there is plenty of entertainment at the Bernabeu in European games recently with each of the last 11 home games in the Champions League Madrid saw more than 2.5 goals.
Team News
Raheem Sterling is back to Manchester City after three weeks with a hamstring injury and is in contention to start.
Aymeric Laporte also trained as normal on Tuesday after coming off early 1-0 win over Leicester City - only a third start since recovering from a serious knee injury.
Leroy Sane continued long-term rehabilitation following the injury itself and will remain in Manchester.
Real Madrid will be without playmaker Eden Hazard, who faces another layoff after breaking his ankle in a real shock defeat to Levante in La Liga last weekend.
But Gareth Bale Zinedine Zidane back in the squad after missing the Levante game with gastroenteritis.
Key Statistics
Manchester City have not won against Real Madrid. The two sides have faced each other four times, every chance in the Champions League, with City lost two of their away games in the Santiago Bernabeu and drawing the other two at the Etihad.
Real Madrid has won the last four of the Champions League knockout ties against English opposition: 5-0 aggregate vs. Tottenham (2010-11 quarterfinals), 3-2 vs Manchester United (2012-13 Round 16), 1-0 vs. Manchester City ( 2015-16 semi-finals), 3-1 vs Liverpool (2017-18 end).
Manchester City have been knocked out in each of the three two-legged Champions League ties they previously against Spanish clubs: 1-4 aggregate vs Barcelona (2013-14 Round 16), 1-3 v Barcelona (2014-15 Round 16), 0-1 vs real Madrid (2015-16 semi-finals).
Zinedine Zidane has won all 12 Champions League ties he was involved in as a manager of Real Madrid (9 two-legged ties and 3 final). He currently holds three Champions League trophy as a manager, along with Bob Paisley's record and Carlo Ancelotti.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has scored 10 goals in 13 Champions League final appearance. It was one goal more than the previous 34 matches in the competition (9). Only Lionel Messi (6) and Cristiano Ronaldo (5) scored more often than Sterling in the knockout stages last season (4).
Real Madrid vs Manchester City Prediction
Prediction score: 1-1 Draw
While the teams and coaches can be largely associated with attacking football, this could be much more like a typical cagey first leg. Real Madrid have got some good results in big European knockout match away in the last few years so that they will not always despair if this ends all square.
Los Blancos tend to pack the midfield again with their attacking options limited by injury Hazard. Which should allow them to at least limit the threat of a City side are sweating over the fitness of Raheem Sterling.
We're going to a low-scoring draw here with the tie will be decided in three weeks in Manchester.
