Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as City host Real Madrid in a massive Champions League encounter
Pep's city are on a roll.
Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as City host Real Madrid in a massive Champions League encounter.
The Citizens go into tonight’s match leading 2-1 on aggregate following their dramatic victory at the Bernabeu back in March just a week before lockdown.
With both the Premier League and La Liga now complete, both teams can now fully focus on the elite European competition which is the Champions League.
The winner of tonight’s tie will go through to the ‘Final 8’ knockout competition with all the matches played in Lisbon in Portugal.
City will be favourites going into tonight’s game, but the home side know if they lose by a couple of goals tonight they will be out of the Champions League and their season will be over.
Here we predict Guardiola’s XI…
Goalkeeper:
Ederson: The first choice Brazilian will continue to keep his place between the sticks and Guardiola will be hoping his distribution will be key once again.
Defenders:
City announced the signing of Nathan Ake this week, which will be a huge boost to the Manchester side’s defence next season. But for now they will have to focus on what they have. Aymeric Laporte will start alongside Fernandinho with John Stones again not starting a big game for City. That leaves Kyle Walker on the right and Oleksandr Zinchenko playing on the left hand side, replacing suspended Benjamin Mendy.
Midfielders:
If City were to lose tonight it would make David Silva’s last game in a Sky Blues shirt. However, we don’t expect the little Spaniard playmaker to start tonight, but he will feature at some point. Kevin de Bruyne will be the first name on the team sheet with Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri sat behind him in a three-man midfield.
Forwards:
With star man Sergio Aguero sidelined, Gabriel Jesus has had all the centre-forward responsibility placed on his shoulders. Raheem Sterling will play off the left-hand side and Bernado Silva will be deployed off the right with a lot of pressure placed on the three to create things for City tonight.
Predicted XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Sterling, Bernardo, Jesus.