Manchester City and Real Madrid resume their UEFA Champions League rivalry at the Etihad Stadium.
This matchup marks the fourth consecutive season in which the two giants have met, with the winner of the tie going on to lift the trophy on the previous three occasions.
That feels like a big ask this time around, with patchy form from both preseason favourites plunging them into the knockout playoffs to do battle, while only one will reach the Round of 16.
Injuries have played a part in each team’s struggles, and one of them is still nursing a troubling list of defensive absentees.
The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for this blockbuster clash.
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Man City vs. Real Madrid lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
There appears to finally be light at the end of the tunnel for Man City in terms of the injuries that have decimated their season, with long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb the only men missing from Tuesday’s open training session.
Nico Gonzalez had his debut in Saturday’s FA Cup win over Leyton Orient curtailed when he took a heavy blow to the hip, but the former Barcelona youngster looks to have made a full recovery in time to face Madrid.
Ruben Dias and John Stones came through unscathed from their 45 minutes each at Brisbane Road, meaning Guardiola could have a full complement of central defensive options for the first time in months. Ederson has been missing from City’s past two matchday squads with a minor injury but is expected to be fit to take part.
Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden are set to return to the starting lineup having been rested as substitutes at the weekend. Guardiola has a decision to make on the left wing, with Omar Marmoush, Savinho, and Jack Grealish all in the conversation.
Man City predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ederson (GK) — Akanji, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol — Silva, Gonzalez — Foden, De Bruyne, Grealish —Haaland.
Injured: Rodri (ACL), Bobb (ankle).
Suspended: None.
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Lucas Vazquez compounded Real Madrid’s defensive injury crisis when he suffered a hamstring injury in the weekend draw against Atletico Madrid. He joins Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and long-term victims Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao on the sidelines.
The likely outcome is Federico Valverde being redeployed to right-back, which has a knock-on effect in midfield. Eduardo Camavinga made an ahead-of-schedule return from the bench against Atleti but is unlikely to be risked from the start, meaning Dani Ceballos and the veteran Luka Modric might start centrally with Jude Bellingham as a No. 10.
Bellingham, Modric, Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Endrick are all at risk of suspension for accumulation the next time they pick up a booking.
Real Madrid predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Courtois (GK) — Valverde, Tchouameni, Asencio, Mendy — Modric, Ceballos — Rodygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr —Mbappe.
Injured: Militao (ACL), Carvajal (ACL), Rudiger (thigh), Alaba (muscular), Vazquez (hamstring).
Suspended: None.
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Man City vs. Real Madrid live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this UEFA Champions League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | Univision, UniMas | Paramount+, ViX, TUDN.com, TUDN App, Fubo |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | — | Amazon Prime Video |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| India | Sony TEN | Sony LIV, JioTV |
