Winning the Copa Del Rey yesterday was nice, as it is yet another piece of silverware that Real Madrid can add to their already overfilled trophy case.
But it won’t define the 2022-23 season like another UEFA Champions League title would. After all, this is the competition that they consider their own at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. And with FC Barcelona having taken off and run away from the rest of the field in La Liga this campaign, the UCL is what it is all about for Carlo Ancelotti and his men.
Manchester City at Real Madrid FYIs
Kickoff: Tue May 9, 8pm, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
Competition: UCL Semifinals, Leg 1/2
Team News: Real Madrid Manchester City
Starting XI Predictions: Real Madrid Manchester City
Draw: Real Madrid 31% Manchester City 44% Extra Time 25%
Raising another “ol’ big ears, on a stage at the Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey- that is the ambition for this year.
Here is the lineup that we think Ancelotti will go with, as he looks to take one step closer to the Champions League final game on June 10. Madrid will need to hold serve here at home, ahead of next week’s road leg in Manchester.
Real Madrid Starting XI Prediction vs Manchester City (UCL)
Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Camavinga; Valverde, Kroos, Modric; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.