Manchester City and Real Madrid have confirmed their starting lineups ahead of tonight’s massive match | OneFootball

Manchester City and Real Madrid have confirmed their starting lineups ahead of tonight’s massive UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match at the Bernabeu. Tonight’s match is the continuation of the rivalry that has developed between the two teams. It has become an annual tradition for the two teams to meet in the knockout stage of the Champions League. They have met in the last five seasons in the knockout stage of the competition, with Real Madrid winning three of those ties and City two. Although Real Madrid enter tonight’s match with seven key players unavailable due to injury, they will pose a tough test for Pep Guardiola’s side tonight. City will have to be at their best if they are to come away from Madrid with a result that can set them up for the home leg of the tie at the Etihad Stadium next week.

Manchester City are in a good position in terms of squad depth for tonight’s match. Only Josko Gvardiol and Rico Lewis are unavailable due to injury. Mateo Kovacic is back in training but tonight’s match comes too soon for the Croatian midfielder to feature. Manchester City’s traveling squad highlights the depth at Pep Guardiola’s disposal which is a great position for City to be in so late in the season.

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola has made seven changes to the starting lineup that beat Newcastle United at St. James’ Park last weekend. In comes Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland. James Trafford, Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Nico, Tijjani Reijnders and Omar Marmoush all drop to the bench for tonight’s match. After being rested from City’s win over Newcastle Erling Haaland returns to the starting lineup for tonight’s match.

Starting lineup: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Savinho, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland.

Substitutes: Trafford, Bettinelli, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Cherki, Nico, Ait-Nouri, Nunes, Foden, Alleyne.

Real Madrid