Real Madrid Suffer Double Injury Setback Before Manchester City Champions League Clash
- Real Madrid suffer a huge setback as two key stars miss the UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester City
- The Spanish giants will face City without two major attacking figures, raising concerns before the first leg
- Pep Guardiola’s side could exploit Madrid’s injury crisis to grab a crucial result in Spain
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Spanish giants Real Madrid have reportedly been dealt a significant injury setback ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with Manchester City on Wednesday, March 11, handing Pep Guardiola’s side a potential boost before the first leg in Madrid.
The English champions defeated Newcastle United 3-1 in their FA Cup encounter on Saturday.
Source: Twitter
Now, City's attention will quickly shift to their high-stakes European showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu.
City managed to secure a place among the top eight teams during the Champions League league phase, but their reward was a challenging round-of-16 tie against the record European champions.
On the other hand, Madrid advanced to this stage after overcoming SL Benfica in the play-off round, the tie played under controversial circumstances as Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Vinicius Jr.
With their unmatched pedigree in Europe, Alvaro Arbeloa's men were expected to approach the clash with confidence as they aim to eliminate another major contender.
Will Mbappe, Bellingham play vs. Man City?
According to reports from The Athletic, Real Madrid will be without both Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham when Manchester City visit the Bernabéu next week.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappe is still struggling with a knee issue that has kept him out of action in recent matches. While the French forward is not expected to recover in time for the first leg, there remains optimism that he could return for the second meeting between the two clubs.
Bellingham, meanwhile, is also unavailable for the opening encounter. Real Madrid’s medical team are reportedly working to accelerate his recovery, though a comeback for the return leg is not guaranteed.
Instead, the England international’s return is believed to be more realistic for the upcoming Madrid derby scheduled for March 22.
Opportunity for Manchester City to capitalise
The absence of Mbappe and Bellingham is a major blow for Real Madrid, given the influence both players have had on the team’s attacking output this season, as GOAL noted.
For Guardiola’s Manchester City, the news could hardly have arrived at a better time. The Premier League champions have produced mixed displays in Europe during this campaign and will view this tie as a major test of their credentials.
Although Madrid’s European pedigree commands respect, their performances this season have not been entirely flawless.
Without two of their biggest attacking threats available for the first leg, the Spanish side may find it difficult to impose themselves early in the tie.
As a result, Manchester City could see the situation as an ideal opportunity to secure a positive result in Spain and place themselves in a strong position ahead of the decisive second leg.
Vinicius fires warning to Man City
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Vinícius Jr. has issued a strong warning to Manchester City ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
The Brazilian forward made it clear that the Spanish giants will adopt an aggressive approach when the two European heavyweights meet in the first leg of their knockout tie.
Source: YEN.com.gh
