The next step for Manchester City on their golden path to potential quadruple glory is the second leg of their round of 16 UEFA Champions League tie with FC Schalke. The Bundesliga club comes to the blue side of Manchester down 2-3 on aggregate Tuesday night.
The German side faces very long odds at the City of Manchester Stadium, but the reigning Premier League champions will be without some key players in this one as star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) and John Stones (groin) are injury doubts for this one, while midfielder Fernandinho and defender Nicolas Otamendi are suspended for this contest.
The good news is that Aymeric Laporte (hamstring issue) and Fabian Delph (muscular issue) might return to action in this one after being unused substittues in the home win over Watford yesterday.
Back-up goalkeeper Claudio Bravo remains a long term absentee due to his achilles tendon injury. In switching over to the visitors now, they will be without a triad of players: Omar Mascarell (groin strain), Daniel Caligiuri (torn ligament) and Alessandro Schöpf (knee).
Heading into the reverse fixture, Schalke were unbeaten in their previous nine European clashes, and they were leading until the 85′ before German international Leroy Sane equalized on a free-kick.
Raheem Sterling would then net home the game-winner in extra time.
Manchester City vs FC Schalke UCL Round of 16 Leg 2 of 2 (Aggregate 3-2) FYIs
Kick-off: Tuesday March 12, City of Manchester Stadium, 8pm (BST)
Man City Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
UEFA media activities: coming Monday 11 March, Ilkay Gundogan will be the player represented at the pre-match media conference
Form Guide: Manchester City WWDWWW FC Schalke LDLLLL
Odds via Sky Bet: Manchester City 1/7, Draw 13/2, Schalke 18/1
Google Result Probability: Manchester City win 82%, Draw 13%, FC Schalke win 5%
Prediction: City 2, FC Schalke 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.