Real Madrid - Manchester City predictions and free betting tips [09/04/2024]

On Tuesday, April 9, in the first quarter-final match of the Champions League, "Real Madrid" will host "Manchester City" on their home turf. Less than 12 months ago, Pep Guardiola's charges thrashed the Creams with an overall score of 5:1 in the tournament semi-finals, and now the hosts are itching to take revenge on the reigning treble champions. 

Predicted Line-ups

"Real Madrid": Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Bellingham; Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo.
"Manchester City": Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Dias, Akanji; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Doku, Haaland, Foden. 

Stadium

The clash will take place in Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.   

"Real Madrid"

"Real Madrid" seems to be an impregnable fortress for many European teams, but not for "Manchester City": a year ago, the "Citizens" pulverised the Spaniards in the Champions League semi-final (1:1 at Santiago Bernabeu, 4:0 in the return match at Etihad). This season, having suffered only two losses in all competitions, Carlo Ancelotti's team is ready to claim their 36th La Liga title in their history, but above all, they want to regain their continental dominance. The hosts didn't play in the league last weekend due to the Copa Del Rey final, but beforehand they claimed victories over "Athletic Bilbao" (2:0), "Celta" (4:0) and "Osasuna" (2:4) before the international break.

In the Autumn, the Madrid outfit easily topped their group stage quartet, outpacing "Napoli", "Braga" and Berlin's "Union", whereas they had to slog their way past "Leipzig" in the last 16 (0:1 away, 1:1 at home). It is crucial to mention that "Real" has not yet suffered a defeat at Santiago Bernabeu this season, and the hosts have consistently triumphed in the last 11 Champions League quarter-finals.

"Manchester City"

Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, the team from Manchester secured a treble last season, winning their maiden Champions League crown in the final against "Inter" after thrashing "Real Madrid" in the semi-finals. Clearly, the "Citizens" are eager to replicate this success and once again deprive the Creams of the main continental title. Having brushed off modest "Copenhagen" in the round of 16 (6:2 on aggregate), "Man City" currently lags behind "Liverpool" and "Arsenal" by just one point in the Premier League table.

Since December 6, the Sky-Blues haven't conceded any defeats in all competitions and have gained a great momentum this spring: last week, they thrashed "Aston Villa" (4:1) thanks to Phil Foden's hat trick (4:1), and then overcame "Crystal Palace" (2:4) over the weekend - with De Bruyne (a brace), Haaland and Rico Lewis all on target. The visitors perform superbly away from home and have recorded 11 victories in their last 12 away matches in all competitions with zero losses! 

Head-To-Head

This is the third consecutive year these teams have crossed paths in the Champions League: last season, "City" managed to topple the Madrilenians (4:0 victory) after a 1:1 stalemate at Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg.             

"Real Madrid" vs. "Manchester City" Match Prediction

It's hard to predict the outcome of a clash between two European football giants, especially since both teams are enjoying a splendid form this spring. The Madrilenians have yet to lose at Santiago Bernabeu this season, whereas "City" performs excellent away from home and is the defending treble champion. I believe that, just like a year ago, the teams won't manage to settle the score in the first leg. 

Total Bet Prediction

"Real" understands the importance of achieving a positive result on their home ground and will promptly launch an attack on the opponent's goal, whereas "City", with such an array of players, simply can't leave the field without scoring. My prediction is "both teams to score".  

Corner Bet Prediction

"Real" needs to win on their home ground, as the backing of the home crowd plays a significant role in the knockout stages. The Madrid team will aim to keep possession and at least won't lose in terms of corner kicks.   

Yellow Card Prediction

Neither team is known for excessive roughness on the field, so I predict the total number of yellow cards to be under 3.5. 

Score Prediction

I'll bet on an exact score of 1:1