Shay Given
Former Manchester City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Real Madrid are so quick on the counter attack, you've got to be wary of them.

The first clash between Eder Militia and Erlang Haaland sees the forward steer the ball to a team-mate and take a blow from behind.

City are seeing all of the ball.

The first real effort on goal of the night comes from the unlikely source of Kyle Walker, who gathers the ball in a central position, takes a touch and smashes a shot from range high and wide.

City seeing a lot of possession run these early stages. They relinquish that, though, as Bernardo Silva fluffs his touch pin the touchline. Very unlike the Portuguese midfielder. These occasions can get to even the very best.

Players are not going to bet getting much time on the ball tonight. City are used to teams sitting off them here, but Real are not going to dig in deep.

It's the Champions League's most decorated side against one seeking their first big triumph in Europe's most prominent competition.

It is bouncing in the Etihad.

Inter Milan await in the final.

We are under way...

Not sure many of the fans in here were expecting to get showered in streamers, but that is what has just happened as the teams come out. City sparing no expense.

The home fans find their voice again quickly to boo the Champions League anthem, though. Uefa not popular in these parts.

This will be Carlo Ancelotti’s 191st game as a manager in the Champions League, the outright most of any coach in the competition’s history (overtaking Alex Ferguson, who toom charge of 190 games with Man Utd).

This will also be Ancelotti’s 50th game in charge of Real Madrid in the Champions League, becoming just the second manager to reach 50+ games with two teams (73 with Milan), along with Pep Guardiola (73 Man City, 50 Barcelona).

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has scored 35 goals in 28 appearances in the Champions League.

27 of those have been netted when Haaland’s only involvement in the sequence of play leading up to the goal was in scoring the goal itself – indeed, no player has scored more via these direct goal involvements since his debut in the competition in 2019-20.

Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has been directly involved in 12 goals in 11 Champions League appearances this season, scoring seven goals and providing five assists.

The Brazilian also leads all players in the competition this term for involvement in open play sequences that end in goals (14) and shots (76).

Chris Sutton
Former Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I loved the contest between Jack Grealish and Dani Carvajal at the Bernabeu last week, it was really spiky, couple of coming togethers.

What is going to be equally important in those battles is that players have to keep their cool.

I suspect that is one to really watch closely because they will both be going at it hammer and tongs but they need to keep control.

Among players with 500+ minutes played in the Champions League this season, the two players with the highest share of their total passes being line-breaking passes are Real Madrid pair Toni Kroos (24%) and Luka Modric (22%).

No player has generated more shots following a carry (moving 5+ metres with the ball) in the Champions League this season than Manchester City’s Jack Grealish (23 – eight shots and 15 chances created). Indeed, his 15 chances created following a carry is the outright-most of any player this term.

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to BT Sport on having the home support behind them: "We have to help our people to be with us. We have to give them something and we are ready to do it."

On squad strength: "The strength of the team is we made four or five changes for the game against Everton, a team in a good moment, and all of them played an incredible game. That is the strength of the team. Everyone is pushing for these two or three weeks to the end of the season to give everything."

On Real Madrid dropping Rudiger to the bench: "It could happen. Normally when I see the line up I try to figure out what they are going to do. They have changed the specific qualities of Rudiger to Militao."

Image source, Getty Images

• Manchester City have only lost one of their past five meetings with Real Madrid in the Champions League (W3 D1), all of which have come under Pep Guardiola. They were winless in their first four games against them in the competition between 2012 and 2016 (D2 L2).
• Manchester City have been eliminated in two of their previous three Champions League semi-final ties, with both coming against Real Madrid (2015-16 and 2021-22). Should they fail to progress here, it would be the first time that a team have been eliminated by the same side in the semi-finals in consecutive Champions League campaigns.
• Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has scored 35 goals in 28 appearances in the Champions League. Of those 28 goals, 27 have been netted when Haaland’s only involvement in the sequence of play leading up to the goal was in scoring the goal itself.

So, Spanish daily sports paper Diario AS are saying that the past four seasons in which Polish referee Szymon Marciniak has officiated a Real Madrid game in the Champions League they've gone on to win the competition that year...

Guess who's in charge at Etihad Stadium tonight?

Image source, Getty Images

As you often get with these big games, City have laid out the flags for their fans and the stands are currently alive with the waving of blue and white fabric.

The occasion, the closely-matched teams and the stakes should make this quite the atmosphere.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

The touchline at Etihad Stadium is populated with tv crews from around the world, such is the magnitude of this Champions League semi-final second leg between Manchester City and Real Madrid.

City fan and former Oasis star Noel Gallagher is giving interviews clad in his rock star shades. Let's he won't look back in anger when this one is done and dusted.

Apologies.

Manchester City's match against Real Madrid will be the "biggest game" that's been staged at Etihad Stadium, according to former Manchester City player Nedum Onouha.

City head into the game level following their 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu and will be looking to reach the final for the second time in three years.

If they do beat the Spanish side, it will keep alive their hopes of an FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League treble.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here podcast, the former defender said: "I can almost guarantee the atmosphere on Wednesday night will be staggering.

"And, when the game's over, if City have won it they'll almost feel like they have won the whole competition even though they haven't because City on that bigger stage haven't got the history to be able to take that in their stride.

"So I think that ends up being their biggest game and I'd argue it's probably going to be the most watched game on TV that's ever happened at that stadium."

BBC Radio Manchester's Mike Minay disagreed, feeling the game at the Etihad against QPR in 2011 where they won the Premier League for the first time was a bigger game at the stadium.

"No it's not the biggest game because QPR was. Everything QPR meant," said Minay.

"To win the league for the first time in 30 plus years and I'm not talking about the way City did it, I'm talking about going to the Etihad that day with what was on the line, going head to head with your biggest rivals.

"It is all about firsts and what makes this Real Madrid game bigger than previous Real Madrid semi-final games?

"It's a whole game of what ifs but what if City don't win that QPR game?

"That game had to be won by City for everything that has followed since."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Manchester City's players "owe it" to themselves and the club's owners to win the Champions League after their defeat to Chelsea two years ago.

Speaking to the media before City's semi-final second leg against Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, defender Kyle Walker has spoken about the importance of the competition to the club.

He said: "The club is missing that one [the Champions League]. I think of the owners and the amount of money and investment they've put in over the years, we owe it to them.

"I would've liked to have [won it] when we got to the first final against Chelsea [in 2021], but I think it was a learning curve.

"To get to the final against Chelsea and not performing as we can, we owe it to ourselves too to try and get some revenge on that."

City head into the tie level with the Spanish side after their 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu a week ago and will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's late semi-final defeat to the same side.

"We've got a tough opponent tomorrow to get to the final, then it's a final, anything can happen," added the England international.

"AC Milan and Inter are massive clubs. We'll watch that game and study it hard but the first thing is getting to the final and then we'll think about that.

"We've gone through rough and good moments [as a team] but hopefully now, this is the icing on the cake where we can go in and put our names in the history books for this club and put this club on the Champions League map."