Man City vs Real Madrid winner decided with Champions League big-hitters facing issues

THE BIG DEBATE: Manchester City vs Real Madrid is the astir eye-catching necktie of the Champions League play-off round, and Mirror Football's writers person fixed their predictions

Manchester City and Real Madrid person locked horns plentifulness of times successful caller seasons, but 1 of the past 2 Champions League winners volition beryllium eliminated earlier the circular of 16

Both big-hitters had a pugnacious clip successful the Champions League's caller league phase. City needed a comeback triumph against Club Brugge to guarantee they weren't eliminated earlier the play-off round, portion 3 defeats from 8 near Carlo Ancelotti's squad abbreviated of a top-eight finish.

It's a 3rd successive play successful which these teams person faced disconnected successful Europe. Madrid won connected penalties past word and aft extra-time successful 2022, portion City were 5-1 aggregate winners en way to their 2023 Treble.

How volition it play retired this time, though? Mirror Football's writers person fixed their verdict up of the archetypal leg, with City and Madrid some hopeless to laic down a marker arsenic they vie for a accidental to instrumentality connected Atletico Madrid oregon Bayer Leverkusen successful the circular of 16.

Jeremy Cross

If Manchester City struggled to bushed League One Leyton Orient successful the FA Cup, however are they expected to get the amended of the kings of Europe?

By their ain precocious standards, Real Madrid person not been successful afloat travel this season. But Carlo Ancelotti's superstars person inactive lone mislaid doubly successful each competitions since the archetypal week of December. And the Spanish giants look to deliberation they person a divine close to triumph the Champions League each season.

Combine this with City's disastrous signifier this season, and it looks similar being a large inquire for Pep Guardiola's broadside to get past Real implicit 2 legs. City person to instrumentality an vantage from the location limb backmost to the Spanish capital, different they won't basal a chance. Prediction: Manchester City 1 Real Madrid 3

Mike Walters

Too adjacent to telephone - oregon excessively repetitive for neutrals to care?

Give your ain predictions for Manchester City vs Real Madrid n the comments section

The biggest occupation with the Champions League, oregon TV wallpaper arsenic it should beryllium known, is that it's the aforesaid formed each twelvemonth successful the knockout rounds. The accustomed suspects.

It would marque a bully alteration if Herdy Gerdy Rovers oregon Smorgasbord Rangers got a look-in, but wealth talks loudest and the winners of this necktie volition astir apt spell connected and triumph the European Cup.

This season, the information that City and Real are gathering successful a repechage play-off round, alternatively of the last oregon the semis (which should beryllium the case), is simply a tribute to their staggering complacency successful the league phase.

I don't fancy City's chances much. They volition request a cleanable expanse successful astatine slightest 1 of the legs, and they person managed lone 3 successful their past 15 games - against Salford, Ipswich and Leicester. League Two minnows and 2 of the Premier League's bottommost three. I expect the archetypal limb to beryllium much cagey than London Zoo. Prediction: Manchester City 1 Real Madrid 1

Andy Dunn

If Manchester City reproduce the standards of their past gathering with Real Madrid - 1 that ended up with the Spaniards winning connected penalties - they volition triumph astatine the Etihad. The 1-1 gully successful the 2nd limb of past season’s quarter-final was thing of a travesty and Pep Guardiola would take that benignant of show this clip around.

The occupation is that determination is nary Rodri and City’s strength - peculiarly disconnected the shot - has disappeared, meaning they are a antiaircraft mishap waiting to happen.That is wherefore Real, with their firepower, volition people much than erstwhile successful Manchester, particularly if Ederson is not acceptable to play.

But determination person been immoderate rumblings of disharmony successful the Real campy - arsenic determination ever are - and I person a hunch City volition besides person plentifulness of attacking joy. It mightiness not beryllium a classical but it volition beryllium hugely entertaining, that is for sure. I’m going for a high-scoring gully that volition permission the necktie successful the balance. Prediction: Manchester City 3 Real Madrid 3

Nathan Ridley

Cast your caput backmost to erstwhile these teams met successful the Champions League 10 months ago, they were - successful my publication - the 2 champion sides successful the world. But aft what's been a topsy-turvy fewer months for some clubs, lone 1 volition scope the past 16 of Europe's elite competition.

The likelihood should beryllium stacked successful Manchester City's favour, with Real Madrid going done a existent wounded situation successful defence. But adjacent the mighty City laboured to a triumph implicit League One Leyton Orient connected Saturday which should springiness Carlo Ancelotti's men hope.

I'm backing Erling Haaland to interruption his duck against Real but Kylian Mbappe and Co. volition person thing to instrumentality backmost to the Bernabeu. Prediction: Manchester City 1 Real Madrid 1

Mark Jones

It was absorbing to spot that Eduardo Camavinga lone came connected for the last 9 minutes of the 1-1 derby gully with Atletico Madrid astatine the weekend, arsenic you'd deliberation Real would tally each implicit City successful midfield if helium were to commencement successful determination with Federico Valverde. If that past means a beforehand 4 of Jude Bellingham, Rodryo, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe past look retired City.

Play that mode and Real mightiness conscionable beryllium excessively almighty for a creaking side, but City bash inactive person capable going the different mode to harm them. I'm seeing goals, but astir of them are successful the City net. Prediction: Manchester City 2 Real Madrid 4

Alan Smith

Real Madrid get successful Manchester with a patched up radical of defenders afloat of names galore volition ne'er person work before. But this is their contention with a agelong past of uncovering ways to triumph adjacent erstwhile the likelihood look stacked against them.

Pep Guardiola's squad stay incapable of producing a apical level consistently. Signs of City's continued fragility were determination successful Saturday's FA Cup triumph against Leyton Orient and it is truthful hard to spot a mode they tin advancement successful this necktie crossed 2 legs.

Still, due to the fact that of the enactment issues facing Carlo Ancelotti's team, City could instrumentality a slender vantage aft this archetypal leg... that they volition past neglect to support successful adjacent week's reverse fixture. Prediction: Manchester City 2 Real Madrid 1

Tom Victor

Manchester City haven't been adjacent their champion this season, but Real Madrid person been inconsistent themselves to the constituent that Pep Guardiola's clip volition consciousness they person a shot. This has been a fixture with plentifulness of excitement successful the past, and it would beryllium emblematic if the 2 sides extremity up someway playing retired a bore draw, but I can't spot either shutting the different out.

This shouldn't beryllium a crippled for defences. City didn't grounds a Champions League cleanable expanse aft October, portion Madrid managed conscionable erstwhile from their 8 league signifier games.

Given however overmuch is astatine stake, I'd beryllium amazed to spot this done arsenic a contention earlier the 2nd leg. Madrid shouldn't beryllium afraid, though, and tin nonstop immoderate informing shots earlier returning to the Bernabeu. Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Real Madrid

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