The day marked in red on Manchester City‘s calendar has arrived. Guardiola’s men will have to be at their best at the Santiago Bernabéu this Wednesday to knock the King of Europe, Real Madrid, out of the Champions League and book their place in the last sixteen. It will not be an easy task after last week’s defeat at Etihad, but the signings are starting to bear fruit and the sky blues are coming into this game on the back of a good league result.
Real Madrid go into this decisive match with the advantage gained in the first leg on English soil. Haaland even put his side ahead on two occasions, but first Mbappé equalized in the 60th minute to make it 1-1, and then, when the match seemed lost, Brahim made it 2-2 and in injury time Bellingham appeared to make it 2-3 and achieve an important victory for the Whites.
Guardiola pessimistic
Pep Guardiola has no confidence whatsoever that Manchester City can beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday after last week’s defeat. After thrashing Newcastle in the league, he was asked about the Whites and their chances and his response was devastating. “One percent,” he said of his team’s chances of coming out on top in Madrid. ‘Of course the win (against Newcastle) helped us,’ he admitted. ‘But look, the margin for winning at the Bernabéu in that position, everyone knows if you ask them before the game. The percentage of qualifying, I don’t know if it would reach one percent. It will be minimal,’ he said.
Manchester City’s casualties
There are three confirmed absences: Rodrigo, with a broken kneecap; Akanji, who has just undergone surgery and will be out of action for between eight and ten weeks; and Bobb, with a broken leg. Furthermore, as with their rivals, they go into the game with some doubts that they will not be able to clear up until the last moment. Grealish, with a hip problem that already caused him to leave the game against Madrid in the first half and who did not play against Newcastle on the last day of the Premier League; and Ruben Dias and Aké, both also with discomfort and who also rested. But the forecast is that all three will be able to play.
Possible Manchester City lineup
Ederson; Khusanov, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Nico, Bernardo Silva, Foden; Marmoush, Haaland and Savinho