After Isco’s goal gave Real Madrid a 1-0 lead, the catastrophic final 15 minutes of the first leg saw Real Madrid concede two-goal to Manchester City and Sergio Ramos sent off. Two prolonged absences and a crammed league conclusion later, we return to UEFA Champions League play.
Now, nearly six months later, this spectacle reaches its climax. Manchester City are heavy favourites to advance, but, if the UEFA Champions League has taught us anything over the past decade, it’s that you should expect the unexpected.
In this tactical analysis, we’ll focus on the match from Real Madrid’s perspective. The objective of this tactical preview is to highlight realistic tactics Real Madrid can implement to overturn the deficit and claim a spot in the quarterfinals at City’s expense.
Predicted lineups
Manchester City’s predicted lineup (4-3-3) – Ederson; Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Aymeric Laporte, João Cancelo; Rodri, İlkay Gündoğan, Kevin De Bruyne; Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling
Pep Guardiola sends his Cityzens out in a 4-3-3, opting for a double pivot in midfield. This is a common tactic for City’s matches against top opponents, which is also a red flag for a tactical surprise. City pressed well in the first leg with Bernardo Silva highly engaged in the high press, but he looks likely to start on the bench. To start, look for Rodri and Gündoğan to join De Bruyne in midfield.
Ederson will surely start in goal with Walker and Cancelo as his outside-backs and Laporte at centre-back. Those are the sure starters. Nicolás Otamendi and Eric García are also in contention for that final spot on the backline, but the Argentinian’s erratic play and the Spaniard’s youth are concerns. Rounding out the formation, expect Mahrez, Jesus and Sterling from right to left.
Real Madrid’s predicted lineup (4-3-3) – Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Raphaël Varane, Ferland Mendy; Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić; Marco Asensio, Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard
Zinedine Zidane has many options to choose from, both in terms of formation and starting XI, but his preferred 4-3-3 is likeliest. The alternative is a 4-4-2 will a diamond midfield, likely featuring Isco or Federico Valverde as the fourth mid, but that set up didn’t bear fruit in the first leg and Madrid need at least two goals.
