As Manchester City gear up for their crucial Champions League clash against holders Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium tonight, Pep Guardiola has some key decisions to make regarding his starting lineup.
Erling Haaland, who was rested for City’s 2-1 FA Cup victory over Leyton Orient, is set to lead the attack, hoping to open his account against Real Madrid after failing to score in four previous meetings. Despite this, the Norwegian has been in superb form, bagging six Champions League goals so far this season.
Nico González, who was forced off early in his debut after taking a kick in the FA Cup win, has participated in training and could be available for selection. Guardiola remains optimistic, saying, “I hope so. The kick was strong in this area. We have a few days, we will see.”
With Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden, and Kevin De Bruyne pushing for starts, Guardiola may make tactical changes, including potentially shifting Manuel Akanji to right-back for more defensive cover, especially since Real Madrid often focus their attack on the left.
Ederson, Nathan Aké, Jeremy Doku, and Oscar Bobb are back in training, but their participation remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Vitor Reis has been left out of City’s updated Champions League squad, so he is ineligible to play.
Predicted Manchester City XI:
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defenders: Akanji, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol
- Midfielders: Nico, Kovacic
- Forwards: Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden
- Striker: Haaland
Doubts:
- Ederson (fitness)
- Bobb (injury)
- Doku (fitness)
- Ake (fitness)
- Nico (fitness)
Injured:
- Rodri (ACL)
Ineligible:
- Reis
Match Details:
- Time and Date: 8pm GMT, Tuesday, February 11, 2025
- Venue: Etihad Stadium
- TV Channel and Live Stream: Amazon Prime Video
Manchester City will be looking to secure a strong result in the first leg of their knockout phase tie against Real Madrid tonight.
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