Manchester City host Real Madrid the first leg of the Champions League semi final tonight with Los Blancos looking to take a positive result back to the Spanish capital next week.
The 10-time winners of the competition know they must play better than they did in the first leg of the quarter final when they lost 2-0 to Wolfsburg. Although they showed remarkable fighting spirit to come back in the second leg, and indeed to come back from 2-0 down against Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, they need to take the game to City and put the Etihad Stadium side under pressure from the off.
The Citizens are making their first appearance at the semi final stage and their only encounters with Madrid in this tournament previously ended with a draw and a defeat. Their league form has been patchy this season but they did win the Carling Cup and will look to end the season on a high.
Los Blancos seem to be in the groove right now having hauled themselves back into contention in La Liga with three games to go.
In terms of team news, the hosts will be without influential midfielder Yaya Toure although seasoned defender Vincent Kompany is fit to take his place in the team.
For Real, Cristiano Ronaldo will be back in the side having sat out the win over Rayo. Gareth Bale will be making his return to England at club level for the first time but there are doubts over the fitness of Karim Benzema.
Probable line ups:
Manchester City: Joe Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho; Silva, Navas, De Bruyne; Aguero
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Ronaldo, James, Bale
