Real Madrid (H) - Wed 17th April, 20:00 | CL | Pre-Match Thread

[chris85mcfc]

Our ability to control the game has just dropped a couple of notches.

Agreed on that, but Kev in the side gives us more danger going forward, and should hopefully see a better version of Erling from the 1st leg

Looks like it'll be a shootout, although we have a much better defence and midfield, don't really rate their keeper even so hopefully we really put him under pressure

 

[SebastianBlue]

anyone else shitting their pants yet?

Yes.

But only because that’s how it always works for me now.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Shame that Stones is out. Makes a big difference.
But still a great team. If we’re at it, we win.

Pep might be creating a special plan for him against Chelsea.

 

[alexmcity]

mean stepping in to midfield. Hes a great defender but much weaker then stones in link up play

Akanji has been the only defender in the big leagues since 2015 to complete 100% of his passes in the final third: 63/63 vs Brentford. He lacks some of Stones's qualities, in particular Stones's composure in tight spaces and the ability to dribble, but I'd say his forward passes are a bit better than Stones's.

 

[Protein Junkie]

anyone else shitting their pants yet?

I hope not as I’ve got a blocked pipe atm :-(

 

[eastmanc]

Not having Stones in the starting eleven concerns me. Anyway come on you Dolly Blues.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Team news

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Doku, Alvarez, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis

 

[PragueBlue]

Akanji in midfield…

Could be Gvardiol or none of them with Bernardo dropping deeper alongside Rodri and Walker pushing up on the right.

 

[MCFC1993]

No Stones is rough.

Worrying amount of tourists, bus welcome underwhelming, hopefully the atmosphere is better inside.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Stones should be playing if he's fit. Dias is also a yellow away from suspension, can only assume he isn't 100% otherwise its an odd choice.

I really hoped kovacic was playing even though I thought it unlikely. We need to pray Bernardo plays centrally next to Rodri because if we leave Rodri alone in midfield, we'll get suckered punched. We haven't controlled a single game against top opposition all season when Rodri has been left alone in midfield with effectively two 10's. Needs to happen tonight. Less confident than I was before the team news but we're still favourites. Time to show up.