Real Madrid and Manchester City played out a 3-3 draw in the Champions League quarter-final first ... [+]
The second leg of the thrilling UEFA Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City will see the two teams separated one way or another after the first leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu resulted in a 3-3 draw.
Real Madrid prepared for the return fixture with a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday evening, with a deflected effort from Aurelién Tchouameni being the only goal of the game as several key players were rested to keep them fresh for the second leg.
The team then traveled to Manchester ahead of a training session at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday before the match takes place on Wednesday evening. The winner will take on the victor of Arsenal and Bayern Munich’s quarter-final, with the scoreline in that battle also tied at 2-2 after their first meeting in London.
Carlo Ancelotti will have to replace Aurelién Tchouameni
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will be forced into at least one change from the side which secured that first-leg draw, as Frenchman Aurelién Tchouameni was shown his third yellow card of the season in the competition, earning himself a one-match ban.
Tchouameni was playing as a makeshift central defender, not for the first time this season, and was shown a yellow card after just 40 seconds in the first leg, with Bernardo Silva opening the scoring for Manchester City from the resulting free-kick.
That suspension will now give Ancelotti a selection headache, with club captain Nacho Fernández expected to come in to form the defensive partnership alongside Antonio Rüdiger. The 34-year-old veteran played the full 90 minutes in Saturday’s victory in Mallorca.
Brazilian central defender Éder Militão could also be in contention, but has not played more than a few minutes in his two appearances since returning from an anterior cruciate ligament tear which he suffered against Athletic Club in August.
Real Madrid injury and suspension news against Manchester City
The Spanish side will be without Tchouameni, but his suspension is the only enforced change which Real Madrid will be facing. There are no other new injury fears and he remains the only player suspended for this second-leg encounter.
On the injury front, there are no new absences expected. Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes was absent in training on Friday due to a knock but has since returned and was rested only as a precaution on Saturday. Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba will be the only players unavailable due to long-term injuries.
Ancelotti may also be optimistically looking ahead to the next round and do so in the knowledge that he has four key players at risk. Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, and Vinícius Júnior are all one yellow card away from missing a potential semi-final first leg.
Real Madrid’s expected line-up against Manchester City
Expected line-up for Real Madrid against Manchester City: Andriy Lunin; Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Nacho Fernández, Ferland Mendy; Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo Goes and Vinícius Júnior.
On the substitutes bench, Éder Militão may hope to be a surprise starter, but it would be a risk for the coach to put him into the team having not started a game since August. Lucas Vázquez, Luka Modrić, Joselu and Brahim Díaz are also likely to lose their place after coming in for the win over Mallorca on Saturday.
