Who: Actual Madrid vs Manchester Metropolis
What: Champions League final 16, first leg
The place: Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain
When: Wednesday at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
observe: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT upfront of our stay textual content commentary stream.
Not often do document 15-time winners Actual Madrid enter a Champions League conflict as underdogs, however that is the scenario when Manchester Metropolis go to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
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With key attackers Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo injured and set to overlook the sport and Alvaro Arbeloa’s workforce in inconsistent form, the Premier League aspect are agency favourites within the final 16 tie.
Man Metropolis beat Madrid within the league section within the Spanish capital and have strengthened since then with Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi arriving whereas midfielder Rodri is match after lacking that match throughout a long-term harm absence.
The 2 golf equipment are actually properly acquainted. Within the 15 encounters between them, they’ve every received 5 and drawn 5.
Together with the 2 upcoming matches, the fixture turns into the third most-played within the historical past of the competitors.
Arbeloa calls on followers to get behind Madrid
Xabi Alonso was at Madrid’s helm when the 2 golf equipment final confronted off in December, however his successor has not bought the workforce taking part in with extra high quality or consistency.
Maybe Arbeloa’s largest success has been serving to winger Vinicius Jr get again into type, and the Brazilian represents Actual Madrid’s greatest hope of success in opposition to Metropolis.
The winger was key in Madrid’s triumph over Jose Mourinho’s Benfica within the playoff spherical regardless of allegedly being racially abused within the first leg by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who denies it.
Vinicius stated he felt “somewhat drained” after beating Celta Vigo in La Liga on Friday because the workforce leaned on him over the previous few matches. They wanted a deflected Ninety fifth-minute aim from Federico Valverde to scrape collectively their 2-1 win over Celta.
Arbeloa referred to as on Madrid’s supporters, who’ve been essential of their very own gamers at instances this season, to encourage the workforce in opposition to Metropolis.
“We want them. We want them on Wednesday, they usually understand it higher than anybody,” Arbeloa stated.
“It’s a Champions League evening in opposition to a really powerful opponent, one of many largest golf equipment on the planet of soccer proper now.
“Taking part in at house, we all know we’re a lot stronger when the Madrid followers are on our aspect.”
Madrid are about ‘combating till the top’
This might be the least assured Madrid have been in approaching any of the earlier knockout ties with Metropolis, even when they might by no means admit it.
“Actual Madrid is about combating till the top, believing, battling,” Arbeloa stated after beating Celta.
“Sure, we might do quite a lot of issues higher, however with the persona and character we confirmed, I hope this generally is a turning level and, from right here, every thing goes a lot better.”
Haaland engaged on tempo earlier than journey to Madrid
Erling Haaland is predicted to return for Metropolis’s Champions League journey to Actual Madrid after spending the weekend coaching and dealing on his tempo.
The Norway striker didn’t journey for Metropolis’s FA Cup fifth-round victory at Newcastle on Saturday as supervisor Pep Guardiola rotated his squad.
It was the second time in three matches that Haaland had been absent after additionally lacking the earlier weekend’s Premier League win at Leeds with a knock.
“I didn’t assume to let him play, and I choose him coaching to make a rhythm,” Guardiola stated.
“After harm, when he drops, he at all times struggles somewhat bit to have that actual, actual tempo.”
What occurred the final time the golf equipment met?
Nico O’Reilly’s opportunistic strike and Haaland’s penalty helped Metropolis battle again to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a tense Champions League league stage contest on the Santiago Bernabeu on December 10.
Rodrygo opened the scoring with a low shot from a counter within the twenty eighth minute as Metropolis regarded uncovered virtually each time Madrid ventured ahead within the first half-hour.
However Madrid pressed the self-destruct button, first when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spilled a comparatively simple header from Josko Gvardiol and O’Reilly transformed the rebound within the thirty fifth minute.
Then, eight minutes later, defender Antonio Rudiger conceded a penalty by wrestling Haaland to the bottom as he went to fulfill a cross within the 5.5-metre (6-yard) field, and the Norwegian striker sealed the win with the ensuing penalty.
Head-to-head
These acquainted foes will face one another for the fourth consecutive season in a knockout Champions League conflict.
Actual Madrid knocked Metropolis out within the final 16 final season, as they did within the 2024 quarterfinals and 2022 semifinals.
Metropolis beat Madrid within the 2023 semifinal en path to lifting the Champions League trophy for the primary time.
Actual Madrid’s workforce information
Star striker Mbappe is predicted to overlook out as he continues to cope with a knee harm, so Gonzalo Garcia is about to begin up entrance in his place alongside Vinicius Jr.
Defender Alvaro Carreras may even miss the sport with a calf harm, Madrid stated in a press release on Monday, with out specifying how lengthy he’s anticipated to be out.
Rodrygo can be unavailable after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Getafe final week.
Bellingham, Dani Ceballos and Eder Militao have additionally been dominated out via accidents whereas David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga are doubts.
Vinicius Jr, Aurelien Tchouameni, Alvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen must watch their steps as they’re all one yellow card away from suspension.
Predicted beginning XI:
Courtois (goalkeeper); Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Asencio, Mendy; Tchouameni; Camavinga, Valverde; Guler; Vinicius Jr, Gonzalo Garcia
Metropolis’s workforce information
Rico Lewis has missed the previous 4 video games with an harm, and Guardiola stated he’s unlikely to play in opposition to Madrid.
“He has an issue along with his ankle, somewhat bit swollen, however he’s practically again,” Metropolis’s boss stated.
Midfielder Mateo Kovacic and defender Gvardiol stay out with long run accidents, however Guardiola stated he hopes each will return earlier than the top of the season.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Rodri and Bernardo Silva had been all rested on the weekend and can seemingly begin in opposition to Madrid.
Predicted lineup:
Donnarumma (goalkeeper); Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Marmoush
