CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW - MANCHESTER CITY VS REAL MADRID

Champions League

2024-04-17 - Manchester City vs Real Madrid

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Manchester City v Real Madrid
Football: UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg
Wednesday 17th April 2024 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

---

Manchester City

It could not have been a better weekend for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City team and there is every chance they can defend all three trophies won last season. The control of the Premier League title is once again within their own grasp, while Manchester City are strong favourites to retain the FA Cup and also to win the Champions League for a second year in a row following the 3-3 draw in the Spanish Capital last week.

A fixture filled with a lot of high-quality finishing will be expected to be replicated in Manchester on Wednesday, but Pep Guardiola has to be privately very pleased with the position his City side are in. Away goals are no longer a factor, but Manchester City have won 12 home Champions League games in succession and have scored at least three goals in 9 in a row in front of their own fans.

Manchester City's 5-1 win over Luton Town has pushed them back to the top of the Premier League table and they are unbeaten in 25 games in all competitions as they continue to build strong momentum towards the end of the season. The side have won 10 of their last 12 home games in all competitions, although Manchester City were held to draws by Chelsea and Arsenal in that run.

Defensive injuries have racked up for Manchester City who could be without Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake again. Rodri, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva should all be restored to starting duties, while Pep Guardiola is expected to choose Ederson in goal.

Real Madrid

The fourteen time European Champions might have missed an opportunity to take a lead to Manchester in this Quarter Final Second Leg, but Carlo Ancelotti will still believe Real Madrid can make their way through to the next Round. The winning team in this Quarter Final are going to be big favourites to pick up the trophy at Wembley Stadium in June as the battle between the last two Champions League Winners is determined on Wednesday.

It was a topsy-turvy First Leg with Real Madrid behind, then in front and then behind again before eventually settling in a 3-3 draw. The side will be confident having won all 4 away Champions League games played this season, but Real Madrid's last failure to win away from home came in this Stadium eleven months ago in the Champions League Semi Final.

Real Madrid are set to win the Spanish title and they have a longer unbeaten record to protect than Manchester City having pushed it to 37 games in all competitions in normal time. Their last away defeat came all the way back in September at Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have won 12 of 20 games on their travels since then.

Aurelian Tchouameni is suspended having picked up another booking last week. Expect more tactical adjustments from Carlo Ancelotti having felt he had gotten the better of Pep Guardiola at times in the First Leg.

Head to Head

Knock Out ties between Real Madrid and Manchester City have been common in the Champions League in recent years and this is the third season in a row they have met.

In 2022 Real Madrid scored two late goals to force Extra Time and then edge past Manchester City and ended up winning the Champions League, but it was Manchester City who won the tie last year before securing a maiden European Cup.

Manchester City have won their last 3 home games against Real Madrid and have scored 10 goals in those victories.

Prediction

Pep Guardiola expects the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg to pick up from where the First Leg left off and that means plenty more goals when Manchester City host Real Madrid.

The winner of this tie is going to be a strong favourite to win the Champions League and there is all to play for after the 3-3 draw in Madrid.

Both teams will have taken positives out of that result, but Manchester City are deserving favourites to progress with the Second Leg being hosted at the Etihad Stadium.

For starters Manchester City have won 12 Champions League games in a row here and they have scored at least three goals in 9 straight. They will create chances and have been able to rest key players Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva this past Saturday, while Kevin De Bruyne has overcome an illness.

Manchester City also hold the mental edge having beaten Real Madrid 3 times in a row at the Etihad Stadium.

They have scored ten goals in those wins, including four in each of the last two when hosting Real Madrid and the feeling is that Real Madrid are still defensively vulnerable.

Carlo Ancelotti will expect his team to pose more of a threat going forward than they did in the 4-0 loss here in May 2023, but Real Madrid still have a lot of work to do and the Manchester City attacking depth may just swing the tie in the home team's favour.

The Pick :

Manchester City 3-1 Real Madrid

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Manchester City to Win & Over 1 Total Goal (Bet Builder) at 1.83 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)