Man City v Steaua Bucharest preview

Yaya Toure and Joe Hart could feature for Manchester City in the club's Champions League play-off second leg against Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday.<br /> <br /> Hart has not played in a competitive game for City this season, with Willy Caballero so far getting the nod from newly-installed boss Pep Guardiola.<br /> <br /> And the England goalkeeper's future at the club is in doubt with City closing in on a deal to sign Claudio Bravo from Barcelona.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center>

Man City v Steaua Bucharest preview

Yaya Toure and Joe Hart could feature for Manchester City in the club's Champions League play-off second leg against Steaua Bucharest on...

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APOEL Nicosia vs Copenhagen: Preview

APOEL look to overturn a one-goal deficit when they host FC Copenhagen for the second leg of the Champions League play-off on Wednesday evening.<br /> <br /> APOEL Nicosia lost 2-1 to Norwegian side Rosenborg in the first leg of third round of qualifiers, but overturned the deficit with a 3-0 win at home. They also drawn 0-0 against The New Saints in the second round, and won 3-0 at home.<br /> <br /> Copenhagen are unbeaten in this year’s Champions League qualifiers which started from the second round. They have scored a massive 14 goals and conceded just once. They won in 4 matches while drawn 1-1 in the away fixture at Astana.<br /> <br /> <br /> APOEL Nicosia defeated FC Copenhagen in the play-offs of 2009/10 UEFA Champions League under very similar circumstances. The Danes came with 1-0 lead from the first leg to Nicosia only to lose 3-1 in a thrilling encounter.<br /> <br /> However, APOEL’s overall record against Danish oppositions on 9 occasions is 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses. And their record at home from 4 matches is 2 wins and 2 losses.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center>

APOEL Nicosia vs Copenhagen: Preview

APOEL look to overturn a one-goal deficit when they host FC Copenhagen for the second leg of the Champions League play-off on Wednesday even...

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Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid: Champions League final preview

<b>Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid </b><br /> <br />     Real Madrid have reached the Champions League/European Cup final for the 14th time, more than any other team. They have won 10 of those - also a record - including their past four (1998, 2000, 2002, 2014).<br />     This is the third time in the past four years the Champions League final has been contested by teams from the same nation (Germany 2013, Spain 2014, Spain 2016).<br />     Including 2016, Madrid has now made 17 appearances in the Champions League/European Cup final (14 for Real, three for Atletico), more than any other city (Milan has 16).<br />     Atletico have won seven of their past 16 games against Real Madrid in all competitions (five draws, four losses). They had failed to win any of their previous 25 games against Real (six draws, 19 losses).<br />     The past four competitive games between Real and Atletico have produced only four goals (two each).<br />     This is the third season in a row in which a manager has reached the Champions League final in his first season in the competition (Diego Simeone 2014, Luis Enrique 2015, Zinedine Zidane 2016).<br />     Atletico have kept 15 clean sheets in their last 21 Champions League games, including four in six knockout games this season.<br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center>

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid: Champions League final preview

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid     Real Madrid have reached the Champions League/European Cup final for the 14th time, more than any other ...

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Manchester City v Real Madrid preview

Real Madrid<br /> Zinedine Zidane watches on during the Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Wolfsburg on April 12, 2016<br /> <br /> When it comes to this stage of Europe's top-tier tournament, there is no club more experienced than Real Madrid.<br /> <br /> Los Blancos are appearing in the last four for a record 27th time, and the difference between themselves and first-time semi-finalists Manchester City could not be any greater in that regard.<br /> <br /> However, that didn't prove to be a factor in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium last week, with a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Madrid being held to a goalless draw by Manuel Pellegrini's men.<br /> <br /> It took a couple of important stops from Joe Hart to keep the visitors at bay, but as it was Madrid could not find a breakthrough and, while their home advantage gives them the edge for this return leg, there is still work to be done if they are to reach a 14th European Cup/Champions League final.<br /> <br /> The good news for Zinedine Zidane is that Ronaldo is back available for the game, with the all-time Champions League top scorer missing the first leg due to a hamstring injury.<br /> <br /> He has been in scintillating form yet again this season, and is almost single-handedly responsible for Madrid avoiding a shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Wolfsburg, netting a second-leg hat-trick to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the last round.<br /> <br /> He has either scored or assisted 20 of his side's 26 goals in the competition this season, but it isn't just in going forward that Madrid have been impressive in Europe, with nine clean sheets from their 11 outings and a joint tournament-low five goals conceded.<br /> <br /> They are yet to concede a single goal in front of their own fans in this year's competition, winning all five of their outings at the Bernabeu and scoring 18 times in the process.<br /> <br /> Indeed, looking even further back, Madrid have won 25 and lost just one of their last 29 home games in Europe, while they have only ever lost twice against English opposition at the Bernabeu, winning seven and drawing three.<br /> <br /> They have also progressed from all but one of the 23 European games in which they have drawn the away first leg, with that exception coming back in 1990-91 at the hands of Spartak Moscow. That exit did follow a goalless first-leg draw, but they have progressed from the other eight ties in which they have been held to a stalemate away from home.<br /> <br /> A 1-0 win over Real Sociedad kept Los Blancos just one point off Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the thrilling La Liga title race at the weekend, and after three consecutive away games they will be happy to return home, where they have won 20 of their 23 outings in all competitions this season, including an ongoing six-match run that has seen them score 23 times and concede just once.<br /> <br /> The prospect of another Champions League final meeting with city rivals Atletico will also be an enticing one for Real should Diego Simeone's side get past Bayern Munich in Tuesday's semi-final, with Zidane looking to cap off his first season in management with the club's 11th European crown.<br /> <br /> Recent form: WWWLWD<br /> Recent form (all competitions): WWWWDW<br /> Man City<br /> Outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini watches on during the Premier League game between Sunderland and Manchester City on February 2, 2016© Getty Images<br /> <br /> While Manchester City are in uncharted territory as a club, they do have experience which could prove vital on Wednesday night in the form of Pellegrini.<br /> <br /> The Chilean manager has not only graced this stage of the competition before, reaching the semi-finals with Villarreal in 2006, but he also spent a season in charge at the Bernabeu.<br /> <br /> Pellegrini steered Los Blancos to a then club-record number of La Liga points, but even that wasn't enough to save his job and he may feel similarly hard done by when it comes to his impending Man City exit.<br /> <br /> Wednesday night is arguably the biggest game in the club's history, and should they manage to reach the final too then Pellegrini will cement his place in City folklore ahead of his departure to make room for Pep Guardiola.<br /> <br /> The closing weeks of the campaign could go very well for the club, then, but they could also go very badly and Pellegrini has taken a risk in that regard.<br /> <br /> There were a string of changes made to the City team for the weekend match against Southampton, and sure enough the Saints ran out 4-2 winners thanks largely to a hat-trick from Sadio Mane, ending the Citizens' eight-match unbeaten streak.<br /> <br /> City's local rivals Manchester United could not fully capitalise, only managing a draw against newly-crowned Premier League champions Leicester City, but those results saw the gap between fourth and fifth close to four points, with United also boasting a game in hand.<br /> <br /> Pellegrini insisted that he had no regrets about prioritising the Champions League, but with a home fixture against Arsenal coming up on Sunday, it is a gamble that could backfire spectacularly should City crash out of Europe in midweek and then drop further points against the Gunners.<br /> <br /> City are, however, unbeaten in their last six Champions League matches - their longest ever run in the competition - and have already won in Spain once this season, beating Sevilla 3-1 in the group stages.<br /> <br /> Indeed, the Citizens have only lost one of their five away games in Europe this term, although in all competitions they have only managed to win two of their last seven outings on the road.<br /> <br /> They have also lost on all five of the previous occasions where they have drawn the home first leg of a European tie, including one where that first leg ended goalless, going down at the hands of Fenerbahce in the 1968 European Cup.<br /> <br /> Recent form: WWDDWD<br /> Recent form (all competitions): WWDWDL<br /> Team News<br /> Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo watches on from the sidelines during his side's Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City on April 26, 2016© Getty Images<br /> <br /> As already mentioned, Ronaldo has been declared fit for Wednesday's match, with the striker needing just one more goal to equal his own all-time record of 17 in a single Champions League season.<br /> <br /> Gareth Bale, who scored the winner at the weekend, will also start, but there is a doubt over Karim Benzema after he limped off in the first leg.<br /> <br /> The Frenchman has failed to find the back of the net in his last four Champions League games, but has scored in two of his three matches against City.<br /> <br /> Elsewhere, Casemiro is another doubt for the home side having missed training, while the likes of Pepe, Marcelo and Dani Carvajal are expected to be recalled having sat out at the weekend.<br /> <br /> Keylor Navas in goal has kept 10 clean sheets in his 11 previous Champions League appearances and has saved 30 of the 32 shots on target that he has faced in the competition.<br /> <br /> Sergio Aguero has failed to have a shot on target in this competition for 432 minutes and is now four games without a Champions League goal - his longest drought in Europe since October 2012.<br /> <br /> The Argentine was rested at the weekend, but is one of a number of players who will return in midweek, along with the likes of Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne.<br /> <br /> Yaya Toure has travelled with the squad having missed the last two games with a thigh injury, but Pellegrini will be without David Silva after he was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first leg.<br /> <br /> Real Madrid possible starting lineup:<br /> Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo<br /> <br /> Man City possible starting lineup:<br /> Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Toure, De Bruyne; Aguero<br /> <br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center>

Manchester City v Real Madrid preview

Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane watches on during the Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Wolfsburg on April 12, 2016 When...

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Bayern Munich v Atletico Madrid: Preview

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng is confident he will be able to play in the crucial Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.<br /> <br /> Boateng made his return from three months out with a groin injury against Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend, playing 68 minutes of a 1-1 draw which meant Bayern had to wait a little longer to confirm themselves as Bundesliga champions for the fourth successive season.<br /> <br /> The Germany international had been one of Bayern's most consistent players during the first half of the campaign and his return could prove timely, with Pep Guardiola's team looking to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against the Spanish side at the Allianz Arena.<br /> <br /> ``Of course, I can play,'' Boateng told the club's official website. ``I will do my very best to recover as much as possible. We want to give it our all, and so do I.<br /> <br /> ``It's clear that I am not yet back at the level I was at before the injury, but it doesn't matter when it comes to this match.<br /> <br /> ``I was just happy to finally be back out on the pitch I am very pleased, even though I played two or three bad passes. But I need to get a feeling for the pitch again - the passes, the scenes, the turns.<br /> <br /> ``That's all new to me after three months, but I am pleased, and will not change my game because of two or three bad passes. I want to play on Tuesday.''<br /> <br /> Another player desperate to play in the semi-final second leg is Franck Ribery. The winger missed the home draw with Monchengladbach with a back problem but was free to train on Monday as he called on Guardiola to pick him as the man to unlock Atletico's dogged defence.<br /> <br /> He told Kicker: ``I am doing a lot better. I am ready for the game against Atletico. I am really looking forward to playing against them. I have to play.''<br /> <br /> For Guardiola, Tuesday could be the night that defines his spell in Germany ahead of moving to Manchester City next summer.<br /> <br /> Win, and he is into the Champions League final; lose, and his time with Bayern might be remembered as much for three semi-final exits as it will be for their domestic dominance.<br /> <br /> Atletico lead courtesy of Saul Niguez's superb solo goal at the Vicente Calderon last week but Bayern have a formidable home record in the Champions League and must be confident of turning the tie around.<br /> <br /> Since losing the 2014 semi-final to Real Madrid, Bayern have won all 11 Champions League games in Munich. Another victory would equal Manchester United's record in the competition from 2006 to 2009.<br /> <br /> However, Atletico will not rest on their slender advantage and head coach Diego Simeone insists his team will be going for the win in Bavaria.<br /> <br /> ``Let's go out and win. We know that the draw gets us through but we cannot think of staying in it. Winning is the essence of the game,'' said Simeone at his pre-match press conference.<br /> <br /> ``I do not have any shame to acknowledge that I have fear - now and before every game.''<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center>

Bayern Munich v Atletico Madrid: Preview

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng is confident he will be able to play in the crucial Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid on ...

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Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Champions League 2016

Barcelona fans are sad this week. There will be no Champions League semifinal for the Catalan giants to play after a painful exit two weeks ago. That doesn't mean the European Cup is no longer watchable. Even the Blaugrana will be very interested in the two Final Four matchups. One of them is very interesting for one single reason: rooting for Real Madrid to lose.<br /> <br /> Barça's biggest rivals enter the pitch on Tuesday night to begin their semifinal tie with Manchester City, which gives Los Blancos the clear status as favorites to advance to the Milan Final in 33 days. Since taking over the Whites a few months ago, Zinedine Zidane has done a great job in leading a resurgence from the Spanish capital giants, who are still alive in the Champions League and just one point behind Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in the La Liga title race.<br /> <br /> Zidane and his men can turn what looked like a disaster season into a miracle one, an incredible redemption story that ends with two major titles. Or, all the work done up until this point can end in two games over seven days. Although they are not even close to being favorites, the Citizens have all the tools to pull off a shocking upset.<br /> <br /> What will happen? We will find out starting this Tuesday.<br /> <br /> TEAM NEWS<br /> <br /> MANCHESTER CITY<br /> <br /> Manuel Pellegrini had to deal with injuries to the most important players of his squad all season, but he arrives at Etihad Stadium with a very deep group to play with. The only two players unable to feature on Tuesday are Samir Narsi, who wasn't registered for the Champions League, and Yaya Touré, the only key absence because of a muscle problem.<br /> <br /> Even without Touré, the Chilean manager will pick a very strong, talented, dangerous lineup. In goal, Joe Hart is not the best goalkeeper in the world, but he is known to raise his level in the biggest of matches. In front of him, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy are likely to start as full-backs because of their defensive capabilities, with returning captain Vincent Kompany and another Frenchman, Eliaquim Mangala, closing the back four.<br /> <br /> The pivot duo is easy to choose: Fernando and Fernandinho are the only true defensive midfielders on the squad, and with Touré out, they are the best options to stop Madrid's creative playmakers. In front of them, Jesus Navas, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva have the speed, the intelligence and the ability to break down the Blancos defensive game plan, and De Bruyne especially could have a special night considering the incredible form he's enjoying. And then, the big (small) man up front: Sergio Agüero, who has seven goals in his last seven appearances, needs to have the match of his life to score against Madrid's defense and secure a vital first leg win for his team.<br /> <br /> City are not a better team than Madrid, but they are far from pushovers. Pellegrini is not a tactical mastermind, but he has figured out a way to create a counter-attacking system that works to perfection against more talented, dominant side. If his team is able to do that again, then we could see a Sky Blue night in Manchester.<br /> <br /> REAL MADRID<br /> <br /> Only two names matter in Real Madrid's team news: Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Both superstar strikers are injured and far from full fitness to play on Tuesday, but Zidane has said they will be on the pitch. The amount of minutes they play and whether or not their injuries will get worse during the match will have a big impact on the game's outcome. And if the two cannot be at their physical best and Gareth Bale is well contained by City's defense, we could be in for a very different football match.<br /> <br /> FORM GUIDE<br /> <br /> Man City: WDWWWD<br /> <br /> Real Madrid: WWWWWL<br /> <br /> LIKELY LINEUPS<br /> <br /> Man City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; Navas, De Bruyne, Silva; Agüero<br /> <br /> Real Madrid (4-3-3): Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Bale, Ronaldo, Jesé<br /> <center> <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- smel 2 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8045107268257721" data-ad-slot="8360218290" style="display: inline-block; height: 280px; width: 336px;"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </center> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RcSKkdy7lNvdX-vLM-l05SQJ4Sg=/0x69:3099x2135/709x473/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49396881/GettyImages-489131552.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RcSKkdy7lNvdX-vLM-l05SQJ4Sg=/0x69:3099x2135/709x473/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49396881/GettyImages-489131552.0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />

Manchester City vs Real Madrid, Champions League 2016

Barcelona fans are sad this week. There will be no Champions League semifinal for the Catalan giants to play after a painful exit two weeks ...

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