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Men's Team

Guardiola: My players step up in the tough moments

TEAM NEWS

City make four changes from the side that beat Watford 5-1 on Saturday.

John Stones, Bernardo, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden return, while four-goal hero against the Hornets Gabriel Jesus retains his place.

Joao Cancelo (suspended), Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish make way.

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TEAMS

City: Ederson, Stones, Zinchenko, Dias (c), Laporte, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Mahrez, Jesus

Subs: Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Fernandinho, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia

Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Militão, Alaba, Mendy, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinícius Júnior

WHEN AND WHERE

City welcome Spanish La Liga leaders Real Madrid to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday 26 April, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 (UK).

The match is being broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport 2 and BT Sport Ultimate, while those living around the world can find out how to tune in via our global TV Listings at the foot of this page.

You can also follow the key moments of the action over on Twitter: @ManCity.

MAN CITY APP COVERAGE

As always, the official Man City app offers extensive coverage of our Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Minute-by-minute updates, statistics and analysis can be accessed from 18:00 via our Matchday Centre, while our special guests will offer their expert insight from the Matchday Live studio an hour later.

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Alistair Mann will guide you through the action at the Etihad Stadium from kick-off with live audio commentary, while those with push notifications turned on will also be alerted to both the team news and when any goals go in.

A detailed match report plus reaction from Pep Guardiola and players can be found soon after the final whistle, while highlights from the game will also be made available from 23:00 (UK).

CITY+ subscribers can also enjoy a full 90-minute replay of our Champions League clash from midnight.

MATCHDAY LIVE

Shaun Wright-Phillips and Shaun Goater are special guests for Tuesday’s Matchday Live broadcast.

The duo will offer their expert insight and cast their eye over Guardiola’s current crop from 18:45 (UK) on all our official digital platforms.

They will reconvene at half-time for a quick debrief on the first 45 minutes, with more detailed analysis following the final whistle.

Matchday Live makes for essential viewing if you enjoy a City-centric twist to your game day experience.

To get involved and ask our special guests a question, you can send a WhatsApp to: +447537186538.

Injury News

Pep Guardiola says he will make a final decision on the fitness of Kyle Walker and John Stones on Tuesday ahead of our Champions League semi-final first leg with Real Madrid but admits the pair are ‘doubts’.

Walker has been sidelined with an ankle knock since our quarter-final second leg tie away at Atletico Madrid earlier this month.

Stones meanwhile missed last Saturday’s Premier League win against Watford after having come off reporting muscle tightness during our 3-0 win against Brighton last week.

The boss also revealed at the weekend that both Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake had played through the pain barrier in the course of the Watford win.

Joao Cancelo will definitely miss the game through suspension.

Pep Guardiola preview

“It’s an honour to be here in the semi-final playing Real Madrid. In the last decade we start to be there and it’s an honour to be here. We will try to do a good game.

“We have to have the desire to compete against them. To play against Real Madrid is an incredible test. We want to try it. We need to suffer, to stick together, when we have the ball try to attack.

MATCH PROGRAMME

Our official matchday programme is the perfect way to get you in the mood for our Champions League quarter-final clash.

It’s packed full of exclusive interviews, in-depth features, Pep Guardiola’s notes, superb photography and all the stats and facts you could want to keep you entertained before kick-off.

CITY+ | SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

As well as being available for purchase at the ground, supporters who may not be able to attend the game can still order the City matchday programme online for home delivery.

Fans can also order a programme subscription, which saves 25p per issue and includes free postage and packing in the UK.

Order your City v Real Madrid programme, HERE

Order a subscription, HERE

Last time out

Gabriel Jesus scored four and assisted one for Rodrigo as City moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a 5-1 win over Watford at the Etihad Stadium last Saturday

Pep Guardiola‘s side made the perfect start and took the lead after just four minutes, with Jesus directing Oleksandr Zinchenko‘s driven cross into the net.

19 minutes later, Jesus doubled the lead from close range, heading in Kevin de Bruyne‘s superb cross.

The visitors worked themselves back into the game and halved the deficit just before the half-hour mark as Hassane Kamara raced through the left flank and fired across Ederson into the bottom corner.

The entertainment continued as we restored the two-goal lead just minutes after conceding through a ferocious Rodrigo strike which flew past Ben Foster and nestled into the top corner.

Just seconds after the interval, Jesus pounced on Kamara’s sloppy pass and rounded Foster, who brought the striker down. The Brazilian picked himself up and calmly slotted the penalty into the bottom left corner to claim his first top-flight hat-trick and the match ball.

p>The 25-year-old wasn’t done yet and got his fourth goal of the game in the 53rd minute, coolly finishing after De Bruyne‘s cutback, making him the first player to score four times in a single Premier League game since September 2020.

As for Real Madrid, they secured a 1-3 victory in La Liga on Wednesday 20 April and have the benefit of extra rest and recovery after no weekend game.

FORM GUIDE

Guardiola‘s side have lost just once in our last 13 matches across all competitions.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have also lost once in their last six games in all competitions, their latest defeat coming to English side Chelsea in the second-leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

TV LISTINGS