Low Odds, High Odds: UCL Semi-Final - Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Real Madrid and Manchester City face off in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Pep Guardiola’s team having a 4-3 aggregate lead from a dramatic first leg at the Etihad Stadium.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have given the Cityzens the advantage, whilst a brace from Karim Benzema on either side of half time, as well as an incredible solo run and strike from Vinicius jr has kept Carlo Ancelotti’s side firmly in the tie heading back to home territory.

Karim Benzema is currently the bookmakers’ favourite to win the Ballon d’Or this season and it is easy to see why.

The 34-year-old France international has scored 40 goals and created 12 assists in 40 matches this campaign, averaging a goal every 84 minutes. Benzema scored twice in Real’s first-leg defeat at the Etihad Stadium to take his goal tally up to 14 in this season’s Champions League.

The last meeting between these two sides saw City have six shots on target, one more than Real, with both teams scoring in either half. The first half was the lowest scoring of the first leg, with the score being 2-1 to City at half time.

Meanwhile, City had five corners to Real’s three, but, on home soil, there is every chance that Los Blancos will turn up the pressure on their opponents with needing to win the game in order to stand any chance of advancing to the final of this year’s competition.

City’s Belgian midfielder playmaker De Bruyne is having a superb season, as the 30-year-old former Wolfsburg man has scored 15 goals and created 12 assists this campaign.

De Bruyne has managed to create an assist in each of his last three matches, doing so for Bernardo Silva’s goal in the Sky Blues’ 3-0 win over Brighton, as well as for Gabriel Jesus’ second goal in City’s 5-1 thumping of Watford, and for the Brazilian’s goal in the first leg of the semi-finals.

Notably, De Bruyne didn’t play against Leeds United at the weekend, as he was an unused substitute, with him likely being rested for this crucial clash.

In the first leg of this tie, Riyad Mahrez managed to make an assist for De Bruyne’s opener after just two minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

Meanwhile, as mentioned above, Benzema is the Champions League’s current top scorer with 10 goals in 14 appearances this campaign. The 34-year-old former Lyon man scored a brace in Manchester and will be looking to add to the hat-trick he bagged at the Santiago Bernabeu against PSG in the Round of 16.

Notably, Phil Foden also got on the scoresheet in the first leg, adding his side’s third goal of the game to give them a 3-1 lead at the time. The England international has scored 13 goals and created 11 assists in 41 games this season.

Finally, City had five corners in the first leg of the tie and having also had six at Elland Road on the weekend when they thumped Leeds 4-0, they have achieved five or more corners in each of their last five matches, accumulating 34 in total.