Man City XI vs Real Madrid: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Champions League | OneFootball

City hoping that star midfielder could return for huge clash

Manchester City will hope to have Rodri fit when they take on Real Madrid in their toughest Champions League test so far on Wednesday evening.

Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, has been struggling with a hamstring injury for much of this campaign, and has consistently been having his return to action pushed back.

Whether the Spaniard will be available for this game hangs on what Guardiola updates with this evening.

A definite absentee for City against Madrid will be John Stones, who the City boss revealed got injured against Sunderland, although quite what his problem is unclear.

Otherwise, Guardiola has a full complement to pick from, aside from Mateo Kovacic, who continues to recover from ankle surgery.

As such, it should be Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, and his first-choice defence at present of Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly at full-back. Stones’ injury makes it even easier to predict the centre-back pairing: Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, with both on target in the 3-0 win over Sunderland.

In midfield, should Rodri not be fit, Nico will play once more as the anchor, most probably flanked by Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.

Foden starred alongside Rayan Cherki last weekend, and the Frenchman could get the nod off the right once more to join Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku in the front three.

Predicted Man City XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva, Nico, Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Doku

Doubt: Rodri

Injured: Stones, Kovacic

Time and date: 8pm GMT on Wednesday December 10, 2025

How to watch: TNT Sports