Real Madrid vs. Manchester City: UCL Match Preview, Odds & Prediction

Real Madrid is heading into the second leg of their Champions League playoff with a 3-2 advantage over Manchester City. This comes after a thrilling match at the Etihad, where Real Madrid came from behind twice to secure the win.

Thanks to Erling Haaland's brace, Manchester City had taken the lead twice, but Real Madrid's perseverance paid off. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in stoppage time, giving Real Madrid the edge they needed heading into the second leg ¹.

The second leg is set to take place at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, and Manchester City will need to pull off an incredible comeback to stay in the competition. On the other hand, Real Madrid is looking confident, having showcased their Champions League mettle again.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

The drama builds up for the second leg of the Champions League playoff between Real Madrid and Manchester City. After Real Madrid's thrilling 3-2 win at the Etihad, they're heading into the second leg with the upper hand.

But Manchester City fans rubbed it in Real Madrid's face before the first leg, unfurling a banner that poked fun at Real Madrid's Ballon d'Or snub. The banner showed Rodri kissing the award, with the tagline "Stop crying your heart out" - a nod to the Oasis song.

However, Real Madrid had the last laugh, with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham leading the charge. Real Madrid is just 90 minutes away from securing a spot in the last 16, where they'll face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen.

But Real Madrid's domestic form has been a different story. They've failed to win any of their last three La Liga matches, and their weekend draw with Osasuna was marred by controversy. Jude Bellingham was ejected from the game, and Real Madrid's title hopes are now at risk.

On the other hand, Manchester City is looking to turn things around. They enjoyed a convincing 4-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League, with Omar Marmoush scoring a hat-trick. But they must overcome their poor away form in Europe to stay in the competition.

The odds are stacked against Manchester City, but they're not giving up yet. They've scored in 15 consecutive matches across all competitions, and they're looking to turn their European fortunes around.

Real Madrid x Manchester City Team News

Real Madrid got a huge boost ahead of their Champions League showdown with Manchester City. Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, who sat out the first leg due to injury, were back in action during Monday's training session. Both players are expected to be available for the second leg.

However, not everyone is ready to return. Lucas Vazquez is still recovering from a hamstring issue, while Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are out for the long haul with knee problems.

Rudiger's return could be a game-changer for Real Madrid. He might allow Aurelien Tchouameni to move back to his usual midfield spot. And don't worry about Jude Bellingham's upcoming domestic ban - it won't affect his play in the Champions League.

Manchester City is also getting some good news on the injury front. Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, who were held out of the Newcastle game due to muscle issues, might be back in action for the second leg. Jack Grealish also hopes to shake off the groin issue he picked up in the first leg.

But Manchester City did take some hits. Manuel Akanji is out for weeks with an abductor issue, joining Oscar Bobb and Rodri on the sidelines.

Now, let's talk about Erling Haaland. This guy is a Champions League goal-scoring machine! He's just one goal away from making history - if he scores his 50th Champions League goal on Wednesday, he'll become the youngest and quickest player to hit that milestone.

Our Predictions

Full-time draw @ 4.30 on Sky247.ng

We're predicting a similar outcome to the first leg, where Real Madrid edged out Manchester City. This time, Ancelotti's team will do enough to avoid defeat and secure their spot in the last 16.

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