Predicted Starting Line-Up: Manchester City vs Real Madrid (UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg) | OneFootball

Manchester City return to their home turf on Tuesday night and are tasked with completing mission impossible as they hope to overturn a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid.

Last time out, Pep Guardiola’s men were handed yet another hammer blow to their aspirations this season as they were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened West Ham, allowing Premier League leaders Arsenal to nine points and all but extinguishing any belief at the Etihad Stadium in catching the Gunners.

The Blues dominated the ball for the majority of the tie at the London Stadium, forcing Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to defend in a deep and resilient low block in an attempt to bar the door to Mads Hermansen’s goal.

Eventually though, the constant Manchester City pressure told as in rather bizarre circumstances, a strike from Bernardo Silva that may have, in actual fact, been a cross looped over the Hammers goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and into the back of the net.

The visitor’s ecstasy was short-lived, however, as just four minutes later, West Ham’s first corner of the game was swung in with pace and following an error from Gianluigi Donnarumma, Konstantinos Mavropanos restored parity with a thundering header.

That set-piece would, come the final whistle, be West Ham’s only shot on target. Manchester City had their chances but, as is so often the case this season, failed to be ruthless in front of goal, with the likes of Antoine Semenyo, Marc Guehi and Erling Haaland missing golden opportunities to regain City’s lead.

In all honesty, Manchester City quite simply did not do enough to deserve the three points on Saturday night – and West Ham, who defended valiantly, earned a point – but the result makes any optimism of the Premier League title now seem somewhat futile.

Now though, all focus must turn to continental action as the Blues must do all they can to rekindle spirit and confidence faced with the daunting challenge of overturning a three-goal deficit in a knockout tie for just the fifth time in UEFA Champions League history.

After a Federico Valverde first-half hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg left City’s hopes of progression to the quarter-final hanging by a thread, those of a Manchester City persuasion simply have to hope for a miracle; anything can happen in football.

Alvaro Arbeloa‘s side enter the second leg off the back of a convincing 4-1 home victory over Elche, making it three consecutive wins for Los Blancos.

In regard to fitness, Manchester City are facing an anxious fitness test around Erling Haaland, who is understood to have injured a groin against West Ham. One confirmed miss is Josko Gvardiol, who continues to recover from the broken leg he sustained in January.

Savinho is also doubt for the return leg after being unavailable on Saturday night due to fitness issues. Rico Lewis is bound to Manchester City’s medical room due to an ankle issue which rules him out for the Round of 16 return leg.

Mateo Kovacic made a welcome return to the bench at the London Stadium after a prolonged spell on the sidelines with an Achilles injury.

For Real Madrid, the injury list remains extensive as superstars Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are both set to miss the second leg owing to respective knee and hamstring issues, having also been unavailable for the first leg in Madrid.

Rodrygo will also be sidelined for his side’s visit to Manchester due to a long-term ACL rupture, whilst Dani Ceballos and Alvaro Carreras are both nursing calf injuries.

Ferland Mendy, Raul Asensio and David Alaba are also confirmed to be unavailable for selection by Arbeloa, while Eder Militao is a doubt for the Etihad Stadium.

Taking all that into account, here is how we think Pep Guardiola will line up Manchester City as they look to conjure a comeback of epic proportions!

In goal, who else but Gianluigi Donnarumma? Who, in spite of his blunder last time out, is an exceptional showstopper built for the big occasion and is perhaps the only reason Manchester City come into the game with a glimmer of hope – after his penalty save against Vinicius Jr. kept the scoreline at 3-0.

At right-back, a man who was sorely missed in the first leg: Matheus Nunes. Whilst it was completely logical to have started Abdudokir Khusanov in that position to try and nullify the pace of Vinicius Jr., this decision had a detrimental impact on the team’s attacking threat, as the Portuguese offers far more in the final third than the Uzbek centre-half.

We predict a central defensive pairing of Marc Guehi and Ruben Dias, as the leadership qualities and defensive acumen of the duo are likely to be a significant factor as City aim to complete one of the most impressive comebacks in modern football while also remaining defensively solid.

To complete the back four, Algerian Rayan Ait-Nouri is expected to keep his place in Guardiola’s starting XI as the number 21 was one of very few positives to take from the draw against West Ham.

Ait-Nouri, whose start to the season was hampered by injury, has continued to improve with time and with what he offers in attacking areas, his selection seems a no-brainer given the dire situation.

Moving into the engine room, we predict a trio of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Nico O’Reilly. Bernardo Silva and Rodri will not only bring experience but also an exceptional passing range, energy and the ability to dictate the tempo of games, all of which will be absolutely crucial in such a monumental game where the Blues will look to keep complete control.

Furthermore, O’Reilly’s physical presence and competence in both boxes will also undoubtedly prove to be a huge asset as the Blues were heavily exposed in midfield last week in Madrid and will be determined to ensure that this does not happen again.

Off the right flank, Frenchman Rayan Cherki should get the nod. The number 10’s performances have almost certainly warranted more minutes as whenever he has featured, he has consistently been one of City’s most influential players, being a constant creative outlet and always looking to put the team on the front foot.

The former Lyon man was Manchester City’s standout performer against West Ham, proving an unrelenting threat and fashioning multiple chances for teammates. And this substitute cameo should be rewarded with a start, especially given the desperate circumstances.

Leading the line, Norwegian talisman Erling Haaland is predicted to start on Tuesday night, and whilst the number nine has been experiencing a prolonged spell of poor form recently, given the ability the footballing world knows he has, it feels impossible to drop one of the most prolific strikers the game has ever seen in a fixture of this magnitude.

Regardless of the 25-year-old’s goal drought of late, Haaland could still have his say in turning this tie around. Finally, to complete the team hoping to go against all odds, the ever-dynamic Jeremy Doku is expected to operate at left wing.

The Belgian was the only significant threat to Real Madrid in the first leg, as his electrifying pace proved a handful for the Spanish outfit, and the winger will be hoping to use his trickery to cause Tuesday’s visitors the same problems this time around.

Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O’Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Doku

Substitutes: Trafford, Ake, Stones, Khusanov, Allyene, Nico, Kovacic, Reijnders, Foden, Savinho, Marmoush