Manchester City vs. Real Madrid UCL Showdown: Antoine Semenyo Not Expected to Start
- Manchester City must have a perfect night to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at Real Madrid's expense
- Ghana international Antoine Semenyo, who started at the Bernabéu, is expected to lose his place in City’s predicted XI
- Pep Guardiola’s likely lineup features a solid back four with Donnarumma in goal and a midfield trio led by the influential Rodri
Manchester City will need a flawless performance on Tuesday night to overturn a 3-0 deficit and eliminate Real Madrid en route to the Champions League quarter-finals, but Ghana international Antoine Semenyo is not expected to be named among City's starting XI.
On March 11, Pep Guardiola handed the 26-year-old a start at Santiago Bernabeu for his Champions League debut as Man City were thoroughly beaten by the 15-time champions of the prestigious competition.
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According to UEFA, Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde netted a powerful hat-trick, scoring in the 20th, 27th, and 42nd minutes to hand his team a solid first-leg advantage.
Predicted Man City XI vs. Real Madrid
With the Premier League side hoping for an excellent night at Etihad, all eyes are on the Manchester City starting XI that Pep Guardiola would select.
Semenyo, who lasted 70 minutes in the 3-0 away loss in Madrid, is expected to lose his starting place to Rayan Cherki. The Ghanaian winger, like most of his teammates, failed to assert his influence against the experienced Los Blancos side, and in City's 1-1 away draw at West Ham on Saturday, March 14, the former Bournemouth man had a normal 74-minute action.
According to City Extra, Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to keep his place in goal after a key penalty save in the Bernabeu match.
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At right-back, Matheus Nunes is favoured for his attacking threat, while the centre-back pairing of Marc Guehi and Ruben Dias is expected to provide leadership and solidity.
Rayan Ait-Nouri completes the back four, offering both defensive stability and attacking support.
In midfield, City Extra reports that Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Nico O’Reilly are likely to start, with O’Reilly’s physical presence crucial to protecting the team in both boxes.
In attack, Rayan Cherki is expected on the right flank, rewarded for his creativity and standout performance against West Ham.
Leading the line, Erling Haaland is likely to start despite recent goal struggles, with Jeremy Doku on the left wing to provide pace and dynamism.
Starting XI vs. Real Madrid: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O’Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Doku.
Why Man City face potential UEFA sanction
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Manchester City could face sanctions from UEFA after Pep Guardiola reportedly chose not to train with his players on the eve of their crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
This move is said to violate UEFA’s strict regulations, which require clubs to hold a training session the day before their Champions League fixtures, potentially putting the club at risk of disciplinary action.
Source: YEN.com.gh
