Manchester City will travel to Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in the second leg of a Champions League semifinal matchup. City won the first tie 4-3 and hold a true advantage in the absence of away-goal rules.
Last game records
Man City has won four games in a row, including the result against Madrid and, most recently, a 4-0 win over Leeds United in the English Premier League.
Real Madrid won its last game against Espanyol 4-0 at the weekend, rebounding from their thrilling loss to the English champions. They have won three out of their last five, with the other loss being a 2-3 result to Chelsea in the second leg of the quarter-final.
City at Real Madrid Betting Analysis
Whereas the other matchup in the semifinal between Villarreal and Liverpool is a bit lopsided, City and Madrid played as exciting and even of a match as there has been in recent years while still turning in a great television product.
Champions League betting odds favor City in leg two, just as they did in leg one, despite being away from home.
Manchester City Betting Analysis
Man City plays a relentless brand of football, constantly flying up the pitch to press their opponent and quickly working the ball around the field in possession to tire out their opponents and create gaps in the opposing defense. They have speed, strength, and technical ability and have no glaring weaknesses.
City is vulnerable when teams apply pressure against them, though they will never roll over and give up. It takes team or individual brilliance to break them down, as they are too well-drilled and experienced to concede costly individual errors.
Real Madrid Betting Analysis
Real Madrid has an ace in the hole in the form of Karim Benzema, who ensures that they will never officially be out of a game. The French international has already logged two hat-tricks in this Champions League campaign, one in the second half of the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain and the other in the first leg against Chelsea.
On top of that, Madrid also has a veteran midfield and defensive line that holds its structure well; their main issue is their lack of height and physicality in the backline, which allowed even the smaller Man City to turn into a threat from crosses in the first leg.
Updates
Benjamin Mendy remains suspended for City, while Kyle Walker and John Stones are both out with respective injuries.
Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, and David Alaba will be out with injuries; the last of these three is especially important as he is Madrid’s most veteran and composed defender.
City at Real Madrid Betting Preview
Champions League odds still list City as favorites, though by a narrower margin than they were in the first leg. Both teams have positive odds of winning, which makes the matchup especially attractive for those interested in Champions League betting picks.
City at Real Madrid Betting Prediction
Real Madrid showed their resolve in the first leg, battling back from a serious deficit and in the face of the fire, but their team is just not fast and physical enough to keep up with the unrelenting attack of Man City.
Madrid has also gotten away with Benzema rescuing them in matches and rounds with his personal heroics, which is not a sustainable approach long-term.
Obviously, they do have tons of other quality in the side, as was shown by Luka Modric’s wonder-assist against Chelsea, but not enough to match City, who has arguably the best squad in the world.
The English champs also showed an ability to sit back and defend against Atletico Madrid, which will allow them to control the affair even further.
The smart money is on City to not only defeat Madrid in the second leg but go on to win the entire competition, barring any unforeseen developments in the Liverpool-Villarreal matchup.
How to bet on City at Real Madrid
Anyone wondering how to bet soccer should find betting odds on most sportsbooks; check for soccer and then Champions League, and the odds should be listed.
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