Real Madrid vs Man City news: Citizens will be confident of completing the job at Bernabeu
- Michael Graham
- 3 May 2022
Manchester City hoping Real Madrid hoodoo can carry on for at least one more match.
Real Madrid and Manchester City meet at the Bernabeu this week for a place in the Champions League final, and if the first leg is anything to go by it could be an absolute thriller.
Man City will take a narrow 4-3 lead to the Spanish capital, but with Karim Benzema in absolutely sparkling form they will be confident of backing up their La Liga title this season with more glory.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, is hoping to guide Manchester City to a second successive final and win the most coveted trophy in club football for the first time in the club's history.
When: Wednesday, May 4, 20:00 GMT
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Where to watch: BT Sport
Who is the ref for Real Madrid vs Man City
Daniele Orsato will be the man in charge for this one, and that does not necessarily bode well for Real Madrid.
The Italian was in charge when Man City beat Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2020 quarter-finals. Not only did Man City win it, but Orsato sent of Sergio Ramos for the Spaniards.
A year later Orsato was the referee as Chelsea sealed a semi-final win over Madrid, and this season he oversaw their 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-German in the last 16.
Recent form
As you would expect, both teams go into this game in outstanding form.
Real Madrid have already sealed the La Liga title and are on a five-match winning run domestically. Their Champions League form is a little patchy, though. They have lost both of their last games against Chelsea (although they did enough to advance) and the first leg of this tie.
Manchester City are in similarly imperious form. The recent FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool is a rare blot on their copy book, with them winning their last four matches scoring 16 goals in the process.
Real Madrid and Man City players in form
Karim Benzema continues to be a revelation this season, and any suggestion he might run out of steam towards the end of the season and proving to be spectacularly wide of the mark.
The veteran Frenchman has five goals in his last five games, including two in the first leg.
Rodrygo also has four goals in Madrid's last four matches too, underlying his growing importance to Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, is in the form of his life right now for Manchester City.
The Brazilian, who has struggled to establish himself at the club as well as he would have hoped, has scored six goals in his last three matches.
Last three matches
Man City 4-3 Real Madrid (April 26, 2022)
It's fair to say that the first leg of this tie was an absolute thriller and a real treat for the purists.
Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus gave City an early two-goal advantage, but Benzema gave Real Madrid life before the break.
Phil Foden and Vinicius Junior exchanged goals in a madcap two minutes after the break, and Bernando Silva extended the Man City lead again with 16 minutes remaining.
Benzema was not finished, though, and a sublime penalty with eight minutes remaining set things up perfectly for the second leg.
Man City 2-1 Real Madrid (August 7, 2020)
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this game was played nearly six months after the first leg.
It was worth the wait for Man City, though, with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus getting the goals.
That man Benzema got the goal for Madrid.
Real Madrid 1-2 Man City (February 26, 2020)
Manchester City came out on top in this one too, but only thanks to a bit of a late show.
Isco gave Madrid the lead on the hour and they looked to be in control, but things unravelled quickly for the La Liga side.
Gabriel Jesus equalised in the 78th minute and a Kevin De Bruyne penalty five minutes later edged Pep Guardiola's side ahead.
A late Sergio Ramos red card only added to Real Madrid's woes.
Champions League head to head
Real Madrid wins: 2
Draws: 2
Manchester City wins: 3
Real Madrid scored: 10
Manchester City scored: 11
Managers' thoughts
Pep Guardiola was happy with Man City's first leg performance, but he believes his side will have to be even better to book their place in the final.
"We have to be better but we can play much worse than we played and we can win," he said.
"We cannot deny my assessment is right. Nobody knows. Sometimes you get what you don't deserve, sometimes you don't get what you deserve. We have to perform incredibly well and win the game.
Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, has warned Real Madrid thet they cannot hope to go through to the final unless they go into the game with an attacking attitute.
"If we play more defensively and bring back our defence line trust me we'll concede even more shots on goal," he said.
"In the first game I felt we needed to take chances which we did. Let me remind you when we took chances we scored lots of goals against PSG, Chelsea and City. We can do that."
Real Madrid vs Man City predicted teams
Possible Real Madrid starting line-up: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Possible Man City starting line-up: Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Jesus, Foden
Real Madrid vs Man City prediction
Manchester City have had the measure of Manchester City in recent times, winning all of their last three meetings. It's tough to see them relinquishing that now with such a big prize so close. Let's go for a 3-2 away win.
