Man. City vs Real Madrid Champions League semi-final preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, predicted line-ups

Manchester City and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday 26 April.

Where to watch Manchester City vs Real Madrid on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What do you need to know?

Losing finalists last season, City are eager to make amends, but the 13-time European champions are a huge obstacle in their path. These sides met in the semi-finals in 2015/16, drawing 0-0 in Manchester before Fernando's own goal at the Santiago Bernabéu took Real Madrid to the final, where they beat city rivals Atlético on penalties. Pep Guardiola's side avenged that defeat in 2019/20, beating the Merengues 2-1 away and then at home in the round of 16, but the stakes are much higher this time.

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Confirmed starting line-ups

Manchester City: Ederson; Stones, Rúben Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Mahrez, Jesus, Foden

Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Éder Militão, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Modrić; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinícius Júnior

Form guide

Manchester City
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWLDDW
Where they stand: 1st in Premier League

Real Madrid
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWLWWW
Where they stand: 1st in Spanish Liga

Expert predictions

Matthew Howarth, Man. City reporter
Real Madrid could not live with City's fierce pressing on their last visit to east Manchester in August 2020, when Gabriel Jesus scored one and laid on another in a 2-1 last-16 second-leg victory. Jesus goes into the teams' latest meeting on the back of a sensational four-goal display against Watford, but with Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva pushing for recalls, it remains to be seen whether the Brazilian will reprise his role as Real Madrid's tormentor-in-chief on Tuesday.

Simon Hart, Real Madrid reporter
Since riding the rollercoaster to victory against holders Chelsea, Madrid have moved within a point of becoming domestic champions and now face a fresh English challenge in what is their record 31st semi-final in this competition. They showed against Chelsea their priceless ability to find a way to win, however precarious the situation.

They will need all that know-how again – and further big performances from key men like the 12-goal Karim Benzema, little magician Luka Modrić and Thibaut Courtois, the goalkeeper with most saves (19) in the knockout stage. Carlo Ancelotti will hope David Alaba and Casemiro come through fitness tests on muscle problems; if not, Nacho and Eduardo Camavinga appear the most-likely deputies

What the coaches say

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager: "History is there, we can't change it, but it's 11v11 with one ball moving. Many good teams are not here, one day we won't be here. I told the players to enjoy this moment, it's an honour. Of course you want to reach the final, but never underestimate what we have done to be here again."

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: "[Eduardo Camavinga] can play from the start but it’s clear when he comes in, he gives energy to the team. When the intensity drops, if you have Camavinga, Rodrygo and Valverde fresh, you can change the game with the energy they bring."

Where is the 2022 Champions League final?

The Stade de France in Saint-Denis will host the final on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

The winners gain a place in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.