Man City vs Real Madrid LIVE commentary: Citizens face do or die Champions League showdown

Manchester City are eyeing a place in the Champions League final as they take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their tie on Wednesday. 

The Citizens claimed a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu last week, with Kevin De Bruyne’s equaliser cancelling out Vinicius Junior’s brilliant strike. 

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De Bruyne’s goal has given Pep Guardiola’s side a crucial advantage in the tie ahead of the second leg, with Real now needing to win away from home. 

If City do come out on top, they will secure a place in Istanbul to face either Inter or AC Milan in their second final in the last three seasons. 

However, you can never write off Real Madrid in this competition with the holders known to step up when the pressure is on in Europe.

Man City vs Real Madrid: talkSPORT coverage 

This Champions League semi-final second leg will be played on Wednesday, May 17. 

Kick-off at the Etihad Stadium is scheduled for 8pm. 

talkSPORT will have live coverage of the game presented by Adrian Durham. 

Commentary will then come from Jim Proudfoot and former Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce. 

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

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Man City vs Real Madrid: Team news 

City are expected to remain without Nathan Ake for the second leg with the defender still recovering from his hamstring injury. 

However, they will have a fully fit De Bruyne for the clash after he was rested at the weekend against Everton. 

Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and John Stone were all also on the bench for that tie as Guardiola rotated his side. 

As for Real, they have one injury concern with Eduardo Camavinga picking up a knock against Getafe at the weekend. 

Karim Benzema, Rodryo and David Alaba were all rested at the weekend and will be fresh for the second leg. 

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Man City vs Real Madrid: What has been said? 

Erling Haaland was kept at bay by Antonio Rudiger in the first leg but Guardiola is expecting his striker to find it easier at the Etihad. 

Speaking last week, he said: “Congratulations to Rudiger. For Erling, we cannot forget, at 22 years old it is the first time he has played in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

“For the first time to go to the Bernabeu, one of the biggest stages, Real Madrid are a top, top class club with good defenders, good midfielders, good strikers and next time will be a little bit easier.

“If the team is able to play a little bit better in some departments that we are thinking for Wednesday, maybe it will be easier for him.

“At the end it is what we are trying to do but he fought a lot and showed incredible commitment in what he had to do. I am pretty sure he is ready.”

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Man City vs Real Madrid: Match facts 

• Among players with 500+ minutes played in the UEFA Champions League this season, the two players with the highest share of their total passes being line-breaking passes are Real Madrid pair Toni Kroos (24%) and Luka Modric (22%).
• No player has generated more shots following a carry (moving 5+ metres with the ball) in the UEFA Champions League this season than Manchester City’s Jack Grealish (23 – eight shots and 15 chances created). Indeed, his 15 chances created following a carry is the outright-most of any player this term.
• Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has been directly involved in 12 goals in 11 UEFA Champions League appearances this season, scoring seven goals and providing five assists. The Brazilian also leads all players in the competition this term for involvement in open play sequences that end in goals (14) and shots (76).
• Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has scored 35 goals in 28 appearances in the UEFA Champions League. 27 of those have been netted when Haaland’s only involvement in the sequence of play leading up to the goal was in scoring the goal itself – indeed, no player has scored more via these direct goal involvements since his debut in the competition in 2019-20.
• Manchester City have been eliminated in two of their previous three UEFA Champions League semi-final ties, with both coming against Real Madrid (2015-16 and 2021-22). Should they fail to progress here, it would be the first time that a team have been eliminated by the same side in the semi-finals in consecutive UEFA Champions League campaigns.
• This will be Carlo Ancelotti’s 191st game as a manager in the UEFA Champions League, the outright most of any coach in the competition’s history (overtaking Alex Ferguson, 190). This will also be Ancelotti’s 50th game in charge of Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, becoming just the second manager to reach 50+ games with two teams (73 with Milan), along with Pep Guardiola (73 Man City, 50 Barcelona).
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 25 home games in the UEFA Champions League (W23 D2), with Lyon in September 2018 being the last away side to win there. Only two teams in the history of the competition have had a longer unbeaten home run: 38 games for Barcelona (2013-2020) and 29 games for Bayern Munich (1998-2002).
• Real Madrid have won their last two away games against English sides in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages (both this season). Only one team has ever won three consecutive away trips to English sides in the knockout stages of the competition, with Barcelona doing so between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
• Real Madrid are winless in their previous four away games against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League (D2 L2), losing each of the last two. The only team they have faced more times away from home in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League without ever winning is Milan (seven games – D2 L5).
• Manchester City have only lost one of their last five meetings with Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League (W3 D1), all of which have come under Pep Guardiola. They were winless in their first four games against them in the competition between 2012 and 2016 (D2 L2).