Manchester City’s bid to reach a second successive final pits them against Real Madrid, who are in the semi-finals for the tenth time in 12 seasons.
This is only City’s third UEFA Champions League semi-final, all in the last seven seasons, with the first having ended in defeat by Madrid, although the English club gained a measure of revenge with a last-16 elimination of the Spanish side in 2019/20.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men reached the semi-final after securing a 5-4 aggregate win over title holders Chelsea.
On the other hand, Pep Guardiola’s men powered into the last four after sealing a 1-0 aggregate victory over Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.
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Losing finalists last season, City are eager to make amends, but the 13-time European champions are a huge obstacle in their path. These sides met in the semi-finals in 2015/16, drawing 0-0 in Manchester before Fernando’s own goal at the Santiago Bernabéu took Real Madrid to the final, where they beat city rivals Atlético on penalties. Pep Guardiola’s side avenged that defeat in 2019/20, beating the Merengues 2-1 away and then at home in the round of 16, but the stakes are much higher this time.
Man. City: Ederson; Walker, Rúben Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling
