Sports Blog 26/04/2016: UEFA Champions League Semi-Final 1st Leg – Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Tuesday 26th April 2016

Whilst any of the remaining teams would be a tough draw, there is something uniquely daunting about facing Real Madrid, a challenge Manchester City will have to deal with in their Champions League semi-final 1st leg at 7.45pm on BT Sport Europe.

With 3rd place in the Premier League realistically the best they can hope for, the club now above Arsenal on goal difference alone, the success of Manchester City’s final season under the guiding hand of Manuel Pellegrini (barring that League Cup win) comes down to their first ever Champions League semi-final.



City are unbeaten since the start of April, most recently putting 4 past Stoke (the 3rd game in a row Mark Hughes’ side have conceded that many) thanks to a brace from Kelechi Iheanacho (at a Super Mega PGM of 16-20), an opener from Fernando and a penalty from Sergio Aguero (the Argentine ace 1 goal away from Harry Kane on 23 and at a Super Mega PGM of 34-40). They also looked strong in both legs against Paris St Germain, a thrilling 2-2 tie at the Parc des Princes followed by a solid 1-0 win at the Etihad thanks to Kevin de Bruyne who, at a Super Mega PGM of 19-23, has made a huge difference since returning from injury.

Yet for all their good form City remain the underdogs against Real Madrid. The Galacticos have won their last 9 La Liga fixtures, most recently coming back from a 2-0 deficit against Rayo Vallecano to win 3-2 thanks to a brace from Gareth Bale (who heads into Tuesday at a Super Mega PGM of 21-25). That run, alongside that 3-game falter from Barcelona, has seen Madrid bully themselves back into the title race, now 1 point behind Barca and city rivals Atletico.

Whilst their La Liga performance has been all over the place at times this season, the Champions League was a source of stability for Real Madrid, with 7 wins and 1 draw in the run up to their quarter-final against Wolfsburg. It came as a shock then, when the German side won 2-0 on home turf; less surprisingly was Real’s response, a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo (who has a Super Mega PGM of 42-49) overwhelming a suddenly meek Wolfsburg.

So, City face a tough task when Zidane brings his former club to town on Tuesday night, one our Spreadex traders think the English side might struggle to overcome, offering a Real Madrid/Manchester City Goal Supremacy spread of 0.5-0.25 with a Total Goals spread of 2.6-2.8.

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