Is Manchster City “back”? Hard to say, because every time it seems like they’ve taken a couple steps forward, a setback will then subsequently ensue. But beating Real Madrid, in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, would certainly send a message of intent.
After all, to be the champs, you got to beat the champions, and while this Madrid side hasn’t had the season that they hoped for, they are still a very tough proposition.
UEFA Champions League Playoff Round FYIs
Real Madrid at Manchester City
Kickoff: Tue. Feb. 11, 8pm, The Etihad, Manchester, UK
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Starting XI Predictions: Manchester City Real Madrid
Google Result Probability Manchester City 42% Draw 25% Real Madrid 33%
So manager Pep Guardiola will need to go with as strong a side as he can here. City still have a lot left to play for this season- the UCL, FA Cup and the top four.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction vs Real Madrid (Champions League)
Stefan Ortega; Matheus Nunes, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol; Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic; Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho; Erling Haaland.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.