Manchester City welcome Real Madid to the Etihad Stadium for the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg with the aggregate score tied at 1-1 after last week’s clash in the Spanish capital.
Our Man City vs Real Madrid predictions include a way to supercharge your City-to-win wager, plus a bet on a thrilling second half and card for a player who’s overdue after his first-leg antics.
Man City vs Real Madrid tips
City to win and both teams to score @ 19/10
Half with most goals – 2nd @ Evens
Dani Carvajal to be carded @ 29/20
Bet on the Champions League at Betzone
Cityzens should convert first-leg superiority into Turkey tickets
Manchester City were the superior side for around 75 minutes of last week’s first leg in Spain, managing 56% of the possession and firing in six shots on target.
The composure and self-belief they maintained after going a goal down spoke of a team that have matured since coming off on the wrong end of last year’s see-sawing semi-final skirmish.
For Los Blancos, the unsavoury news is that this City side take it up at least one notch at the Etihad. The reigning European kingpins haven’t been all that imperious on the road of late either.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last 14 home games in all competitions, with eight of them wins to-nil and 12 coming by a victory margin of two-goals or more. Their last four visitors in this competition have been seen off by a collective score of 18-1.
Real, meanwhile have failed to win four of their last seven away games in all competitions, including losses to Barcelona and, more recently, to Girona and Real Sociedad.
The 4/7 about a City win inside normal time doesn’t offer a thrilling return on your investment, but in a game between two ultra deluxe attacks why not add BTTS to the bargain?
Eight of the host’s last 11 games against top-flight opposition in all competitions have rewarded both teams to score backers, as have their three meetings with Real since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.
Tip: City to win and both teams to score @ 19/10
Expect an excess of entertainment after the interval
The dramatic tension in this tie looks set to build and build, with both City and Real’s Champions League matches this season seeing substantially more goals in the second half.
City’s UCL matches have produced 21 goals after the break en route to this juncture, compared to 11 before it, while Los Blancos’ second halves have outscored their firsts by 21 to 14.
Tip: Half with most goals – 2nd @ Evens
Carvajal will do well to avoid the notebook a second time
Dani Carvajal took a heavy-handed approach to policing Jack Grealish’s influence on the game at the Bernabeu, yet somehow avoided a caution despite racking up a game-high four fouls in the process.
It’s highly unlikely he will temper his approach in this even more pivotal encounter and being destined to have his hands more than full looks very likely to pick up the yellow card his first-leg showings merited.
