Madrid (AFP)
Surprise: Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has decided to start the Champions League first knockout round at Real Madrid (Wednesday 8:00 p.m. GMT) without Sergio Agüero, David Silva, Raheem Sterling or Fernandinho, all on the bench after official team compositions.
The tactical battle began before kick-off: in this duel of great technicians against Real Madrid's French coach Zinédine Zidane, the Catalan technician tried a bet: it will start with an attack composed of Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus, but deprived of Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling (who returns from injury), relegated to the bench.
However, the Belgian captain of Citizens Kevin De Bruyne will be present in the midfield, along with the Spaniard Rodri and the German Ilkay Gündogan.
On the Madrid side, Zinedine Zidane did not reserve such surprises. The only notable facts: the tenure of the young Brazilian Rodrygo (19) on the left wing of the Merengue attack, alongside the French Karim Benzema and Isco, preferred to Gareth Bale; and the absence of Toni Kroos, replacement.
To respect his usual 4-3-3, "Zizou" preferred the 2019 Ballon d'Or, the Croatian Luka Modric, the Brazilian Casemiro and the young Uruguayan Federico Valverde (21) over the German midfielder.
Real Madrid team:
Courtois - Carvajal, Ramos (cap.), Varane, Mendy - Modric, Casemiro, Valverde - Isco, Benzema, Vinicius.
Substitutes: Areola, Militao, Kroos, Bale, Marcelo, Vazquez, Jovic.
Coach: Zinedine Zidane
Manchester City team:
Ederson - Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, B. Mendy - Gündogan, Rodri, De Bruyne (cap.) - Mahrez, Jesus, B. Silva.
Substitutes: Bravo, Sterling, Agüero, D. Silva, Fernandinho, Joao Cancelo, Foden.
Coach: Pep Guardiola
© 2020 AFP