For those of you who followed us in and backed Real Madrid to win the Champions League in September, this game represents a chance to ensure a profit by siding with City in some shape or form.
However, even for those without an interest ahead of kick-off, there look reasons to side with the visitors.
Real looked far from their best last week in the goalless draw at the Etihad, a game in which they were without talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.
With the Portuguese’s fitness record an impressive one, they aren’t used to playing without him – and it showed – while they also needed a late goal to win in La Liga at the weekend after struggling for much of the game.
He’s due back – boss Zinedene Zidane is insisting his star man is 100 per cent fit – although that’s a comment which you’d imagine must be sugar-coated, at least to some extent.
It was only two weeks ago that Ronaldo tweaked a hamstring and that has to be a worry for potential backers of the hosts. This is Real’s biggest game of the season so far and there must be a chance he’s been rushed back when in other circumstances he simply wouldn’t have been risked.
It may be stating the obvious, but while far from a one-man team, last week showed Real are a much more fearsome opponent with him in their line-up than without.
Even if Ronaldo does play, as looks likely, Real will still be forced into two changes from their first-leg XI with both Karim Benzema (hamstring) and Casemiro (hip) having suffered injuries.
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