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The Champions League is back in action this weekend with Manchester City hosting a formidable Real Madrid side at the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of an intriguing round-of-16 clash. Manchester City scored two crucial away goals in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this year and holds the upper hand going into this match.
Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane have had plenty of time to study each other and an interesting tactical battle is set to take place on Friday. Real Madrid must score early at the Etihad Stadium to put Manchester City under pressure and Zidane will want his superstars to create an immediate impact.
Real Madrid must overturn a 2-1 deficit against Manchester City
Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus have given Manchester City the upper hand in his fixture. Real Madrid has plenty of talent and can be lethal in the final third and Pep Guardiola will know better than to underestimate his fierce Spanish opponents.
The Catalan manager is known to study his opponents and will have plans in place for Real Madrid's most prominent attacking players. Zinedine Zidane will have to accept that Manchester City may dominate possession in the game but can take heart from the fact that with Karim Benzema in its ranks, Real Madrid can be devastating on the counter.
The tactical setup adopted by these two European giants will dictate the outcome of this game and will also give rise to several intriguing individual battles on the pitch.
#5 Gabriel Jesus vs Eder Militao
Gabriel Jesus has often found himself behind Sergio Aguero in Manchester City's squad but with the Argentine striker ruled out for the rest of the season, the onus lies on Jesus to deliver against Real Madrid.
The Brazilian striker scored a crucial opening goal in the first leg earlier this year and will be up against his compatriot Eder Militao. Zidane will be unable to avail the services of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos after the Spaniard was sent off in the first leg.
Real Madrid will find it extremely difficult to make its way back into this match if Manchester City gets an early goal. Gabriel Jesus has not been particularly prolific this season but can potentially end Real Madrid's dreams at the Etihad Stadium.
#4 Toni Kroos vs Rodri
Toni Kroos is one of the most important parts of Zinedine Zidane's jigsaw puzzle at Real Madrid. The German maestro has shown extraordinary levels of consistency this season and will be the key to unlocking Manchester City's defence at the Etihad Stadium.
The veteran Bavarian midfielder will be up against one of the most exciting midfield talents in the world in Rodri. The Spaniard has been likened to Sergio Busquets by Pep Guardiola himself and will have to live up to that tag to stand a chance against one of Real Madrid's most experienced crusaders.
Both Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola were intelligent midfielders in their prime and it is fairly safe to assume that a large portion of this battle will be fought in the heart of the midfield. While Toni Kroos has experience on his side, Rodri can go toe-to-toe with the Real Madrid star and will not make it easy for the Los Blancos midfield.
Also Read: Premier League 2019/20: Team of the season
#3 Raheem Sterling vs Dani Carvajal
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.
#2 Karim Benzema vs Aymeric Laporte
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.
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.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne vs Casemiro
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.
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.
Also Read: Manchester City vs Real Madrid prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Champions League 2020
