Up 3-2 on aggregate, and sitting pretty with a trio of away goals, Manchester City are in prime position to join their British brethren Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
However, look no further than last week for a reminder about how anything is possible in the UCL- just ask the world’s most expensive side Paris Saint-Germain and three time European holders Real Madrid. City will be without a few key players, due to both injury and suspension, so Pep Guardiola will take nothing for granted here.
Let’s take a look at who he may select for his first team. With Ilkay Gundogan set the media tomorrow, you can be pretty sure that he’ll be in the first 11.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction vs Watford
Forwards: Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez
Midfielders: David. Silva Ilkay Gundogan Bernardo Silva
Defenders: Danilo Zinchenko Vincent Kompany Kyle Walker
Goalkeeper: Ederson
Manchester City vs FC Schalke UCL Round of 16 Leg 2 of 2 (Aggregate 3-2) FYIs
Kick-off: Tuesday March 12, City of Manchester Stadium, 8pm (BST)
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
UEFA media activities: coming Monday 11 March, Ilkay Gundogan will be the player represented at the pre-match media conference
Form Guide: Manchester City WWDWWW FC Schalke LDLLLL
Odds via Sky Bet: Manchester City 1/7, Draw 13/2, FC Schalke 18/1
Google Result Probability: Manchester City win 82%, Draw 13%, FC Schalke win 5%
Prediction: City 2, FC Schalke 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.