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Manchester City face Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight, trailing 3-0 from the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Manchester City have a mountain to climb in the Champions League tonight as they seek to overcome a 3-0 first-leg last-16 deficit against Real Madrid.
Federico Valverde's hat-trick in the Bernabeu means City's European hopes hang by a thread heading into the second leg at the Etihad but Blues boss Pep Guardiola and his squad believe they can mount a sensational comeback.
To do so they will have to defend better than they did in the first leg and City could revert to what has been their first choice back four to try and shut Real out. Abdukodir Khusanov started at right back against Madrid last week in part to combat Vini Jr's pace on that flank, but Mathues Nunes could come back in given he offers a bit more going forward and City need goals.
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Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi are set to start in central defence while Rayan Ait-Nouri, left out in Madrid, can come back in on the left. That would allow Nico O'Reilly to move into midfield alongside the experienced Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
Erling Haaland, despite being short of goals, will surely start up front and the big question marks surround the other two places. Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki look the men most likely to create chances and offer the attacking unpredictability that City will need to break down a Real defence.
Cherki seems best placed to provide the service to Haaland while Doku was a constant threat in the opening stages last week. Leaving out Antoine Semenyo would be a bold call but he can offer a threat from the bench.
"The selection I have already more or less. I know the team that is going to start tomorrow," Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference on Monday. "I don't have any doubts. One doubt maybe but the rest is clear."
City predicted XI: Donnaurmma, Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O'Reilly; Doku, Cherki, Haaland.
Alex James is a Content Editor and writer at the Manchester Evening News. A vastly experienced journalist with contacts in the game, he has previously worked as a Sports Editor at the Lancashire Telegraph and a Football Reporter at Lancs Live among others. Alex specialises in football content across Manchester City, Manchester United and the EFL including analysis, opinion, exclusive interviews and untold stories away from the pitch.
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