Real Madrid vs Manchester City prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-04-08 19:00.
[p]For the third successive season, Real Madrid have been drawn against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) knockout stages. It’s 1-1 in terms of progression across the last two seasons, but with a positive home record from those ties (W1, D1), Real will hope they have what it takes to at least get off to a positive start in search of a 15th European Cup/UCL crown. [/p]
[p]The omens are good for taking the next step on the road to glory, as Los Blancos have won their last 11 UCL quarter-final ties and have incredibly knocked English opposition out at this stage in the last three editions! An impressive 16 wins from their last 21 European home games (D3, L2) would suggest they’re good value to get off to a good start in making that four this time around, and having not played at the weekend, they should be raring to go here. [/p]
[p]City did have a game at the weekend, despatching Crystal Palace 4-2 in the Premier League to again stake their claim in their title defence. They’re also defending the UCL for the first time ever, but with a negative record away to Spanish opposition (W4, D3, L8), their crown perhaps comes under its biggest threat yet here, although with a 22-match unbeaten European run in tow, toppling City is a gargantuan task for anyone.[/p]
[p]Ironically, the last team to beat them in European action was Real Madrid themselves in the 2021/22 semi-finals, largely thanks to a collapse in the away leg. The Santiago Bernabéu remains a stadium City have struggled in, winning on just one of their five visits (D1, L3), but there’s an extra layer of spice here for former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who has won six of his last eight (D1, L1) personal duels with Real boss Carlo Ancelotti. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Jointly leading the way for assists in this season’s UCL, Jude Bellingham has set up a goal in four of his last five appearances in the competition. Unsurprisingly jointly topping the goalscoring charts, Erling Haaland has seen four of his six UCL goals this term arrive after half-time. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Man City have conceded exactly once in six of their last seven UCL away games. [/p]