Manchester City face a monumental task on Tuesday night as they welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad Stadium, looking to overturn a three-goal deficit in their Champions League Round of 16 second leg.

The Citizens were dismantled in the first leg at the Bernabéu, where a clinical first-half hat-trick from Federico Valverde condemned Pep Guardiola’s side to a 3-0 defeat.

City’s domestic form has also stuttered recently; a 1-1 draw against West Ham at the weekend has seen them fall nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Real Madrid arrive in Manchester with a commanding cushion and high confidence. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side warmed up for this trip with a 4-1 victory over Elche, featuring a 70-yard wondergoal from Arda Güler.

While Los Blancos have been hampered by injuries to key stars, their European pedigree remains unmatched, having progressed on all 28 previous occasions when winning a first leg by three or more goals.

What are the best picks for Manchester City vs Real Madrid?

Back Real Madrid +1.5 (Asian Handicap)

While Man City are the favorites to win on the night, a three-goal lead allows Real Madrid to play a conservative, counter-attacking game.

City’s recent struggle to convert chances—underlined by Erling Haaland’s four goals in 17 games—means Madrid can likely keep the scoreline close, even if they lose the match itself.

Under 3.5 Goals

Despite the attacking talent on display, the tactical setup favors a lower-scoring affair. Madrid will likely deploy a deep defensive line to protect their 3-0 lead, while City have found it difficult to break down disciplined blocks in recent weeks.

Because recent injuries mean Real Madrid will likely manage Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé carefully, the game may not produce the explosive scoring we saw in the first leg.

Thibaut Courtois to make 5+ saves

With City needing to overturn a 3-0 deficit, expect a barrage of shots at the Etihad. In this year’s competition, only Bodo Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin has faced more tests than the Real Madrid man.

Courtois is currently averaging 5.2 saves per match in the Champions League this season and made several vital stops in the first leg to keep a clean sheet. As City push everyone forward, the Belgian will be the busiest man on the pitch.

Where can I watch Manchester City vs Real Madrid?

USA viewers can stream this Champions League clash live on Paramount+ starting at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Supporters in the UK can catch the match live on Amazon Prime Video. The game kicks off at 8:00 p.m. local time.

What is Manchester City’s current form?

D-L-W-D-W

What is Real Madrid’s current form?

W-W-W-L-W

What is Manchester City’s predicted team?

Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

Injured: Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis

Doubtful: Mateo Kovacic

What is Real Madrid’s predicted team?

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Rüdiger, Garcia; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Diaz, Güler, Vinícius Júnior

Injured: Rodrygo, Dani Ceballos, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy

Available: Kylian Mbappé (Bench), Jude Bellingham (Squad)