Manchester City v Real Madrid: Champions League playoff round, first leg – live Some very good news for City: Nathan Ake is fit to start in a defence that looks much more familiar.
The last time City failed to make it to the last 16 was in 2012-13, when they were in a group of death with Madrid, Ajax and Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund.
Manchester City and Real Madrid usually meet in the later stages of the Champions League, but here they are slumming it in the new playoff round.
There are two changes from the Madrid derby on Saturday: Eduardo Camavinga replaces the injured Lucas Vazquez, with Valverde moving into Vazquez’s position at right-back, and Ferland Mendy is preferred to Fran Garcia at left-back.
It’s unthinkable that either City or Madrid will not reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
