Real Madrid (H)

Results couldn’t have gone any better for us over the weekend, and the players should go into this brimming with confidence - especially after putting in such a professional performance at what has to be the toughest place to go at this stage of the competition last week.

Being at home carries an advantage for sure, we are far more comfortable playing at home than away this season. They on the other hand have the benefit of an extra days rest, and then some - only three players who started against us also started their match on Saturday, with one being Courtois in goal. We know we can score against Real, and this season we seem to have more different ways of scoring than I’ve seen any City side that’s come before, even under Pep. Equally, we know they can hurt us, badly, even at moments where we seem to be exerting a level of control in play. It’s a match that really is balanced on a knife edge.

I would make a few changes to the team that started in Madrid. Mahrez gets the nod for me on the right. I’d also put Bernardo in the middle for Gundogan. It seems mental to bench Gundogan given the form he’s in, but I think Grealish could do with a hand on the left given we will have a makeshift left back who won’t get forward on the overlap. I also think there is a goal in Gundogan coming off the bench and ghosting into the box as he does so well. Either way we will need to make better use of our subs tomorrow, Real made theirs last week and it freshened them up and started another wave of pressure, we didn’t make any and there were a few (understandably) tired looking heads during the last 15 or so.

I go

Ederson
Walker Dias Akanji
Stones Rodri
Mahrez KDB Bernardo Grealish
Haaland

Beans plans for the evening - leave the van at work (close to the Etihad), quick wash in the sink, walk into town for a pint and a scran, drive home afterwards. Shame can’t have a few more, but stops things getting silly on a school night 😂 what are we up to for it blues?!

Anyway, hope we can do it! Big finish to the season, come on City!!