Champions League: Revenge Won’t Come Easy for Los Blancos

Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Reigning champions Manchester City continue their 2024 Champions League defence with a trip to Madrid in the blockbuster clash of the round.

It’s a replay of the 2023 semi-final, and Carlo Ancelotti’s team has a painful memory of a 4-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, which dumped them out of the competition. And now, as the quarterfinals kick off on Tuesday, Los Blancos have a chance to put things right.

They were made to look second-rate in the massacre in Manchester but Carlo Ancelotti’s team has improved since last May. And Real Madrid have enjoyed a week off since their 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, while Manchester City strengthened their Premier League title defence with a 4-2 win away to Crystal Palace.

Just as in every competition they enter, the Champions League 2024 betting odds have installed Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as the tournament favourites, and this tie will be a good test of the Sky Blues’ credentials.

Talking Points

Vinicius back for Madrid

Los Blancos will be boosted by the return of Vinicius Junior to their starting eleven after he sat out his team’s win over Athletic Bilbao due to suspension. The Brazil striker is almost certain to link up again with his compatriot Rodrygo, who scored a brace in that game, with Jude Bellingham sitting just behind; Brahim Diaz is likely to drop to the bench.

Vinicius has scored 12 goals and made four assists in La Liga, while netting another three in the league, and Bellingham has 16 goals in the league and four in the Champions League, making eight assists in total. The speed and movement of these three will test a Manchester City defence which has one or two injury concerns.

The same can be said for the Madrid rearguard too, with Eder Militao only just returning from a cruciate ligament injury, and he only had a couple of minutes in his first game back, while keeper Thibaut Courtois is out for the campaign. Kepa, on loan for Chelsea, played in the Bilbao game, but Andriy Lunin has had more game time recently, and he is likely to step back in as the last line of defence. 

With eight games to play, Los Blancos have an eight-point lead at the top of the La Liga table, and Ancelotti can concentrate heavily on the Champions League while Manchester City have a lot of work to do in the Premier League. 

Guardiola can shuffle his pack

The Sky Blues’ win away to Palace vindicated Guardiola’s decision to rest Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva; as the two key players who had a breather in the midweek destruction of Aston Villa stepped back into the starting line-up. Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland weren’t really missed in the victory over Villa, as Foden scored a brilliant hat-trick. And a rest for Foden left the limelight for the Belgian star as he scored twice and made an assist for, guess who… Haaland.

Guardiola is in an incredible position where he can rest such superb players, his team keeps pulling opponents apart, and his front line is just as potent as Madrid’s: Haaland has six goals, Argentine striker Julian Alvarez has five, and Foden has four goals and four assists.

At the other end of the pitch, Josko Gvardiol went off at halftime, and that gives Guardiola something to think about, with Nathan Ake also doubtful. The City boss has recently suggested he values the Premier League higher than the Champions League, and that may be the case after the Sky Blues finally broke their European duck last term.

But he wants both…of course.         

History

Real Madrid and Manchester City have met 12 times over the past 12 years, with the Sky Blues nudging ahead by five wins to four. With that thumping 4-0 victory last May, the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu ended in a 1-1 draw. 

With four wins and two draws each from the last six games, both teams are in good form; in fact, Real Madrid are unbeaten in 13 games and 26 at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Manchester City are unbeaten in 24 matches.

Something has to give, or we are about to see these European titans come to a stalemate in Madrid.

Betting Tip

With Manchester City at SBOTOP odds of 2.35, Real Madrid at 2.67, and the draw at 3.15, this leg is wide open, and both teams are in impressive form.

The hosts have the advantage of a nine-day break, but the Sky Blues are often careful in away European legs, and they look to return to the Etihad with an advantage. I can see a repeat of last season’s 1-1.  I’ll be back with the Champions League 2024 updates on Wednesday, so, in the meantime, enjoy the action. It’s going to be tasty!

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.