La Liga holders Real Madrid face Premier League champions Manchester City for a blockbuster clash in the Champions League 2024/25 knockout playoffs.
MCI vs RMA Match Details
Date: Tuesday, 11 February 2025 / Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Time: 21:00 (BST), 01:30 (IST)
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
MCI vs RMA Match Preview
Manchester City are a crumbling team this season with injuries and lack of form has snapped away the dominance on the league the side enjoyed in the last few years, languishing fifth on the table. They failed to avoid their worrisome domestic form to haunt them in Europe as the Premier League giants were forced to make a stunning second-half comeback against Club Brugge in their final League Phase game to prevent early elimination from the 2024-25 Champions League season. City finished 22nd on the 36-team table picking up just three wins from seven games to warrant a playoff spot and are made to face an opponent finished higher than them. Pep Guardiola's team take on a familiar foe in competition holders Real Madrid whom they beat in the semifinals on the road to win their first title in the 2023/24 season. However, the situation is very different now and the challenge looks far more severe even though City are unbeaten in this fixture at Etihad. The team also had to make a comeback win albeit with a much-changed team against League One outfit Leyton Orient, following a 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal in the league, to stay in the hunt for the FA Cup exposing their fragility again. Despite the circumstances, the only record the side could cheer about is not losing any of their last five games at home in all competitions.
Real Madrid’s form also dwindled in the Champions League, failing to grab an automatic qualification spot for the Round of 16 by just a point and ending in 11th. Despite losing the same number of games as their playoff opponent Manchester City, Los Blancos did not drop a single point in the remaining five games allowing them to finish higher in the table and ending the League Phase on a better form. Carlo Ancelotti's men will take on City for the fourth straight season in the Champions League defeating them on penalties 4-3 in the quarterfinal stage last year. However, the team still couldn’t win this fixture as it ended 1-1 last time. The same result the Spanish giants played in the Madrid derby on Sunday to keep their place on top of La Liga table. Hence, Real Madrid looks to be a more confident team going into the clash hoping to end their dismal away record in this fixture. The main worry for the side will be the host of injuries plaguing their backline and having star midfielder Federico Valverde shifting to the right-back position. Also, Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick and Aurelien Tchouameni are all a card away from suspension prompting the visitors to be cautious despite being a slight favourite for the tie.
MCI vs RMA Recent Form (all competitions)
MCI: LWWLW
RMA: WWLWD
MCI vs RMA Recent Form (Champions League)
MCI: LDLLW
RMA: LLWWW
MCI vs RMA Team News
Manchester City are without the trio Nathan Ake, Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez through injuries with the latter carried off the pitch in a horror debut for the club. Ederson may return between the sticks shaking off his issue as is Oscar Bobb. However, the visitors are the most worried team with injuries affecting the back-four as Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and David Alaba are all ruled out.
MCI vs RMA Predicted Lineups
Manchester City
Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Silva, Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Savinho; Haaland
Real Madrid
Courtois; Valverde, Tchouameni, Asencio, Mendy; Camavinga, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe
MCI vs RMA head-to-head
Played - 12
MCI won - 4
Drawn - 5
RMA won - 3
MCI vs RMA Dream11 Match Prediction
While Manchester City can have a torrid time resisting the pacey attack of Real Madrid, they will eventually overcome the opposition’s injury-hit defence to maintain their unbeaten run in this fixture at home. We predict a 2-1 win for Pep Guardiola's side.
MCI vs RMA Dream11 Top picks
Captain Pick: Erling Haaland
Vice-captain Picks: Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, De Bruyne
MCI vs RMA Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Courtois (Cr - 7.5, Pts - 177)
DEF: Dias (Cr - 7), Tchouameni (Cr - 8), Gvardiol (Cr - 9, Pts - 219)
MID: Foden (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 345), Bellingham (Cr - 9, Pts - 310), Valverde (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 210), De Bruyne (Cr - 7.5)
FW: Vinicius (Cr - 9, Pts - 475), Haaland (Cr - 9, Pts - 300), Mbappe (Cr - 9, Pts - 290)
Vice-captain: De Bruyne
Captain: Erling Haaland
