Yahoo News Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Champions League round of 16: What time is kick-off today, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?
What is it?
The round of 16, second-leg clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium. City hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Madrid.
✈️🏴👔 We're on our way to Manchester!@HUGOBOSS | #ChampionsWearBOSS | #RMUCL pic.twitter.com/cDl9xaSSjZ
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 6, 2020
When is it?
Friday, August 7.
What time is kick-off?
8pm.
What TV channel is it on?
BT Sport 1 from 7pm. There is also an hour-long preview show at 5.30pm on BT Sport 1.
What is the team news?
Man City will be without their all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero through injury.
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale has not been included in Real Madrid's squad. The Spanish champions announced their 24-man squad on Twitter and Bale's omission is the latest sign of the breakdown in his relations with head coach Zinedine Zidane.
Bale has become an increasingly peripheral figure at the Bernabeu and played no part in Real's final match at Leganes last month. The 31-year-old last appeared for Real in a 2-0 home win against Real Mallorca in June.
Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez also won't make the trip. His last appearance was on June 21.
Reserve forward Mariano has been left out after contracting the coronavirus recently.
Eden Hazard could feature after an ankle injury but Sergio Ramos is suspended.
📋 Our 24-man squad for the match against @ManCity!#RMUCL | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/ybR3uqQDyP
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 5, 2020
What are they saying?
Pep Guardiola insists his City side are ready as their Champions League day of reckoning finally arrives:
"I have the feeling now that we are ready to play the game, do a good performance and win the game.
"We want to win this competition, for sure. To win this competition you have to beat teams like Madrid. We cannot expect another issue.
"If you want to win this competition - and we want it - we have to beat them and win the next rounds."
Guardiola has warned his players they must avoid repeating their defensive mistakes of the past:
"More than conceding a goal, it is the way we concede the goals. If they are brilliant and make a good action we have to accept it, but most of them were goals we could have avoided.
"We have to avoid making mistakes. In this competition they punish you a lot.
"We have spoken about it, not now but many times in the last years and we know it. If we want to step forward as a team to be close to winning this competition we have to be better in this area."
Former England manager Fabio Capello is backing City to see off his old club Real Madrid:
"I thought in the last two games they played before the end of the season that Manchester City were on the top of their form. They are really dangerous when they go forward.
"In the past I thought Guardiola has made some tactical faults in midfield but now, when they lose the ball, they try to recover it. The problem when you play City is how well can you defend against them?
"So, for me, I prefer Man City because, without Sergio Ramos, when you have to defend against City going forward, it will be difficult for Real."
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said Gareth Bale opted to miss tonight's clash:
"It was a personal conversation I had with him. He preferred not to play. The rest remains between me and him but he said he didn't want to play."
"I answered before to explain the situation and I don't want to add anything else. The rest is a private conversation between player and coach. There is nothing else to add."
Asked if Bale has a future at Real, Zidane said:
"I don't know. Now he is a current player at Real Madrid. That has not changed. He is our player. I respect that and I respect him, like everyone else.
"He preferred not to play. That is the only thing I can tell you. The rest of us are all here, preparing for the game. The only thing we are concentrating on is the game."
Five key talking points
Tie in the balance
City would have been clear favourites to progress had the match taken place as originally planned following their memorable 2-1 comeback victory at the Bernabeu in February, but the tie is now far harder to call. Since the season resumed after its three-month stoppage for the coronavirus pandemic, it is Real that have had the momentum. Zinedine Zidane's men won 10 games in succession to overtake Barcelona and claim the LaLiga title. City have also looked good at times with some notable big wins (Liverpool 4-0, Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton, Norwich all 5-0) but they have also slipped up with losses to Chelsea, Southampton and - on the big stage of an FA Cup semi-final - Arsenal.
City with point to prove
The major event off the field for City has been in overturning the two-year ban from European competition they were due to serve from next season for alleged financial irregularities. There will have been much relief inside the club when the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivered its verdict last month, knowing they can now plan for a future that involves the Champions League. The whole episode could fuel City's drive. There is a feeling that not all involved in the European game are happy about City's sudden arrival at the top table and there may be a determination from within to prove that they belong.
Winning without Messi and Ronaldo
City boss Pep Guardiola and Real counterpart Zinedine Zidane boast extraordinary Champions League pedigree between them. Both won the competition as players and have savoured success more than once as coaches, yet there is still a perception they need to win without great players in their sides to truly underline their managerial enormity. In Guardiola's case, that is Lionel Messi. It is nine years since the last of Guardiola's two wins as Barcelona boss, which is an age for one of the greatest managers of his generation. After three semi-final losses with Bayern Munich, this is his fourth attempt with City after knock-out stage defeats to Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham. Zidane guided Spanish giants Real to three victories in succession from 2016-18 but his side were powered by the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now at Juventus.
Absentees
City will again be without top scorer Sergio Aguero, who underwent knee surgery in June. There is hope the prolific Argentinian could still feature in the competition should City progress to the last-eight tournament in Portugal, but this game comes too soon and, in all likelihood, Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus will lead the attack. Left-back Benjamin Mendy is also suspended. Real will be without captain Sergio Ramos after his sending off in the closing minutes of the first leg. Eder Militao could play in central defence alongside Raphael Varane. There is again doubt over former Chelsea star Eden Hazard, who has endured an injury-hit first season at the club.
Key factors
Kevin De Bruyne, who scored and set up City's other goal in the first leg, will be the man Real fear most after an outstanding season. Raheem Sterling, who appeared to be attracting interest from Real earlier in the year, is another potential dangerman. City will want to shut down the supply lines to Karim Benzema, who has flourished since Ronaldo's departure and has scored 26 goals this season. In terms of external factors, Real can call on plenty of big-game experience having won the competition four times in the past six seasons. With the game also being played behind closed doors, City will have no fans to back them. City might at least feel in better touch having last played a fortnight ago compared to three weeks for Real.
What are the odds?
Manchester City to win - 3-4
Draw - 7/2
Real Madrid - 18/5
What's our prediction?
Avoiding defeat on the night would take City through to the newly organised last-eight tournament in Lisbon.
Guardiola won the competition twice with Barcelona but suffered three semi-final defeats at Bayern Munich and this is his fourth attempt with City after knockout stage defeats to Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham.
An Aguero-less City poses less of a goal threat but those two away goals in Madrid should ensure they advance to the quarter-finals.
Predicted score: Manchester City 1 Real Madrid 1 (agg 3-2)
