In a highly-anticipated UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final, Real Madrid travel to the Etihad Stadium to play against Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, on Thursday (IST). The UCL 2023 match is expected to be one of high-intensity following their 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, hosted by Madrid.
In the La Liga, Real Madrid are second, 14 points behind league leaders Barcelona. They have been inconsistent in their performances on the domestic stage this season. In their last game, Los Blancos squeezed out a narrow 1-0 win against Getafe. Now, they will need to give it everything to replicate that outcome in the upcoming game.
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On the other hand, Manchester City currently sit atop the EPL standings and have been in outstanding form lately. The home team recorded a thumping 3-0 win over Everton recently and go into this match with their confidence high.
Manchester City-Real Madrid match preview
Manchester City and Real Madrid resume their UEFA Champions League 2023 semi-final rivalry at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, in what shoudl be a thrilling event. Both sides come together at the Etihad after a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid. City and Madrid both look to end the 2022-23 season as league champions and European conquerors.
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At the Bernabeu last Wednesday, Vinicius Junior displayed brilliance, but was out-shined by an even better Kevin De Bruyne. Madrid got off to a great start despite not looking like the dominant side. An exceptional long-range strike from Vinicius put Los Blancos ahead.
Man City struck back after De Bruyne’s scintillating strike. His shot found the bottom corner of the net, keeping Pep Guardiola’s hopes alive in thee UCL 2023.
Manchester City boasts an impressive unbeaten streak of 22 games, which they aim to protect. They have also achieved a 15-match winning streak at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions. Of those games, they scored at least twice in 14. Their last defeat in a UEFA Champions League match on their home ground was back in September 2018.
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On the other hand, while Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid team may have won the Copa del Rey, they are focused on retaining European dominance. In the coming weeks, their domestic matches hold little significance.
Manchester City will look to avoid a repeat of last season’s thrilling 4-3 encounter at the Etihad this UCL 2023. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have never won on Manchester City’s turf in their last four attempts. The winners of this clash between the two giants of football will earn them a spot in the UEFA Champions League 2023 final in Istanbul, where they will face Inter Milan.
Head-to-head
Both teams have won 4 games each out of the 11 matches that they have faced each other.
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Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Alaba; Kroos, Camavinga, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Manchester City-Real Madrid prediction
City have been exceptional throughout this season and appear to be on track for an extraordinary win. They dsecure a commendable draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in their last encounter and will now look to capitalise on their home advantage.
Real Madrid has enjoyed dominance in the UEFA Champions League, establishing themselves in the competition. However, on paper, City hold the edge and are considered the stronger team, giving them a slight advantage in the UCL 2023 second leg semi-final.
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Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid (City win on 3-2 aggregate)
Date, kick-off time, venue
The upcoming UEFA Champions League 2023 match between Manchester City and Real Madrid is scheduled to be played at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England on May 17, at 8 pm BST, 3 pm ET, and May 18, at 12:30 am IST.
