Manchester City vs Real Madrid: 5 key battles to watch out for | UEFA Champions League 2019-20

#3 Raheem Sterling vs Dani Carvajal

Raheem Sterling has been excellent since the restart

Raheem Sterling did not have the best of starts to his Premier League season but has been a resurgent force for Manchester City since the restart. The English winger is a deadly presence in the final third and his skill and trickery will cause Real Madrid several problems.

The Manchester City forward will be up against one of the most underrated full-backs in the world in Dani Carvajal. The Spanish defender has been a solid presence in Real Madrid's back-line this season and often finds himself in the shadow of his more illustrious teammates.

Carvajal is exceptionally good at one-on-one situations and will have to be at his best to deal with the pace and agility of Raheem Sterling. The Spanish full-back is a powerful sprinter and can potentially be Real Madrid's solution to Manchester City's lethal left flank.

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#2 Karim Benzema vs Aymeric Laporte

Karim Benzema has been sensational this season

Karim Benzema has been Real Madrid's knight in shining armour this season and will give Pep Guardiola several headaches in the final third. The Frenchman has been virtually unplayable this season and is one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe at the moment.

The French striker will be up against Aymeric Laporte in the heart of Manchester City's defence. The two have played against each other on a few occasions in the past when Laporte plied his trade with Athletic Bilbao.

Lionel Messi is indisputably the best player in La Liga — but Karim Benzema, at 32, was arguably the most influential this season. In the vacuum left by Cristiano Ronaldo, he has carried Real Madrid’s attack, writes @JamesGheerbrant https://t.co/XzSdQYGGYo

— Times Sport (@TimesSport) August 6, 2020

Aymeric Laporte is arguably the only Manchester City defender skilled enough to keep the Real Madrid striker quiet. Laporte has become a leader in Manchester City's defence since the restart of the Premier League season and his ball-playing skills are crucial to Manchester City's style of play. The centre-back has improved considerably since his days in La Liga and Karim Benzema will not find it particularly easy against his compatriot.

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#1 Kevin De Bruyne vs Casemiro

Kevin De Bruyne is Manchester City's best player

Kevin De Bruyne is arguably one of the best midfielders in the world and his ability on the ball will be a source of concern for Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane. Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is perfectly capable of handling the most talented players in the world and will be tasked with keeping tabs on Kevin De Bruyne to disrupt Manchester City's control in the midfield.

The Belgian midfielder dispatched his penalty with ease to hand Manchester City a crucial victory in the first leg and will run the show for the home side against Real Madrid. Casemiro is one of the only defensive midfielders in the world that can stand up to Kevin De Bruyne at his best and his performance will be imperative to Real Madrid's success.

Kevin De Bruyne has topped the Premier League Power Rankings this season to claim his crown as king of the stats 🥇

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 29, 2020

Zinedine Zidane's side has a massive mountain to climb and Kevin De Bruyne is the biggest obstacle standing in its way. Real Madrid will have to be at its best to keep Manchester City's formidable attack at bay tomorrow.

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