Manchester City vs. Real Madrid: Clubs Face Off in 1st Leg of UEFA Champions League Semifinal Match
Manchester City, unbeaten in five matches, is making its debut in a Champions League semifinal match, while Real Madrid, currently on a five-match win streak, makes its 27th appearance at this stage.
Manchester City play in the last four of the Champions League for the first time on Tuesday but find 10-time winners Real Madrid standing between them and a place in the final.
Manuel Pellegrini’s preference would have been to play the first leg of their tie with the Spanish side at the Bernabeu but must make do with a home match instead.
The teams’ only previous competitive meetings were in the group stage of the 2012/13 competition, with City leading twice in the first game before losing 3-2 to a stoppage-time winner from Cristiano Ronaldo.
For City to reach the final in Milan, they will have to beat a Spanish side over two games for the first time in nearly 50 years, having last achieved that against Athletic Bilbao in the 1969/70 season.
City’s Yaya Toure is out of the match because of a thigh injury suffered during Saturday’s 4-0 defeat of Stoke in the Premier League.
The former Barcelona midfielder had only recently overcome a heel problem and while he had not been certain to start against the Spaniards, his absence is a setback.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A BELTER!!
