Manchester City have failed to beat Real Madrid in all their previous UEFA Champions League meetings but Pep Guardiola will be hoping to change that tonight in the first leg Round of 16 tie at Santiago Bernabeau.
The first meeting between City and Madrid in the Champions League was in September 2012 in which the Spanish giants won the tie 3-2.
However, there is room for optimism for Man City fans as their team head into tonight’s match on the back of successive wins if the Premier League, while Madrid have relinquished control at the top of La Liga in recent weeks due to their disappointing results.
Guardiola is facing Real Madrid in a Champions League knockout tie for the third time, with a third different club – he won 3-1 on aggregate with Barcelona in the 2010/11 semi-finals and he lost 5-0 on aggregate with Bayern Munich in the 2013/14 semi-finals.
Though Zinedine Zidane was heads and shoulders ahead of Guardiola in their playing days, both could pass as contemporaries as coaches.
Tonight at Santigo Berenebeau, a supremacy battle of some sort will be on the cards as the two managers fight for qualification for the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Stay with PREMIUM TIMES for the Live Updates
Kickoff is 9.00 pm
Team News
Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Mendy, Casemiro, Modric, Valverde, Isco, Vinicius, Benzema
Subs: Areola, Miltao, Marcelo, Kroos, Lucas Vazquez, Bale, Jovic
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Otamendi, Mendy, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Jesus
Subs: Bravo, Sterling, Aguero, Silva, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Foden
Kick off at Santiago bernabeau
Real Madrid take a throw-in at the right side of the pitch in the opponent’s half of the field
Goal kick for Man City as Vinicus Jnr effort off the target
Mendy tries a cross but intercepted
Another attempt but Raphael Varane fails to find the target with a shot from outside the box
Chance.. Gabriel Jesus with a golden opportunity but his effort saved by Thibuat Courtious
Rodri is penalised for a foul on Vinicius Junior
Benjamin Mendy is penalised for pushing Federico Valverde
Ederson Morale makes a big save for Manchester City as Real Madrid continue to threaten
Big blow for City as Aymeric Laporte is down injured and cannot continue
Entertaining clash in Madrid but still 0-0 as the battle continues
One minute added time
Real Madrid escape at the death as they almost concede late in the first half
Half Time.. Real Madrid 0-0 Manchester City
Second half already underway at Santiago Bernabeau
Valverde gets a Yellow card
Goal.. Isco shoots Real Madrid ahead
Full Time.. Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City
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