Manchester City will host Real Madrid in a crucial UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday in Manchester, with both Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti facing key selection dilemmas ahead of the high-stakes encounter.

Guardiola is grappling with a mix of players out of form and the challenge of managing a squad brimming with talent, while Ancelotti faces a defensive crisis due to a series of injuries.

Here’s a look at the predicted lineups for Manchester City vs Real Madrid, along with the latest team news and tactical insights.

Manchester City predicted lineup

——- Ederson ——-

—- Akanji —- Stones — Dias —- Gvardiol —

—- Kovacic —- Gonzalez —-

—- Foden —- De Bruyne —- Bernardo —-

——- Haaland ——-

If Ederson is fit, he will likely start over Ortega in goal. The back four pretty much picks itself, with Guardiola leaning towards four center-backs in the lineup. Akanji, playing on the right, will have a crucial job containing Vinicius Jr., and it seems more sensible for him to start there rather than relying on Rico Lewis.

In midfield, Kovacic will almost certainly start as one of the holding players, and if Nico Gonzalez is fit, he should get the nod over Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, both of whom have struggled in deeper central roles this season. The experienced attacking midfield trio of Foden, De Bruyne, and Silva could operate behind Haaland, with Omar Marmoush likely to come off the bench. Doku and Grealish are also solid options to bring in during the second half.

City’s squad strength is bolstered by Nathan Ake’s return to training ahead of the game, adding more depth to the team.

OUT: Rodri (torn ACL)
QUESTIONABLE: Ederson (fitness), Nathan Ake (muscle), Jeremy Doku (knock), Nico Gonzalez (knock)

Real Madrid predicted lineup

——- Courtois ——-

—- Valverde —- Tchouameni —- Asencio —- Mendy —-

—— Modric —- Ceballos ——

—— Rodrygo —- Bellingham —- Vinicius Jr —-

——- Mbappe ——-

Real Madrid’s defense is facing a serious crisis, with three key center-backs—Rudiger, Alaba, and Militao—ruled out due to injury. Carvajal is also out for the season, and his backup at right-back, Vazquez, is injured as well. This leaves them scrambling to fill those crucial defensive positions.

Midfielder Tchouameni has been impressive when stepping in as a center-back, and he will likely partner with the young Raul Asencio, who faces the biggest challenge of his career in this high-stakes match. Federico Valverde is expected to move from midfield to right-back, with either Modric or Camavinga stepping into central midfield. Modric, given his vast experience, is likely to get the starting nod.

The front four for Real Madrid is as deadly as ever, with Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius, and Mbappe set to capitalize on any defensive lapses from Manchester City, particularly through swift counter-attacks.

OUT: Daniel Carvajal (ACL), Eder Militao (ACL), Antonio Rudiger (muscle), David Alaba (adductor), Lucas Vazquez (hamstring)