Real Madrid transfer news

THE new Champions League format promised huge clashes earlier on in the competition and they certainly deliver that when Manchester City and Real Madrid meet on Tuesday.The pair flopped in the league phase, finishing outside the top eight and setting up this huge play-off clash for a spot in the last-16.So SunSport have enlisted the help of their betting experts to preview the European showdown and select the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNew sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesManchester City vs Real Madrid previewThe new format has thrown up a blockbuster clash and neither Manchester City nor Real Madrid would want this so early.City’s wretched form since that Spurs defeat in the League Cup in October likely makes them underdogs to progress here.They needed Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden to come off the bench to progress in the FA Cup at League One Leyton Orient at the weekend.The rather embarrassing scenes of the pair playing for time and taking the ball into the corner shows how fragile the side is at present.So it’s a good thing for them that Madrid arrive with a defensive injury crisis which was furthered at the weekend.Madrid arrive without Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquex AND Eder Militao, with a new-look, makeshift back four set to play.However, they will still have a dynamic front line which is bound to cause this shaky City defence issues.It’s the fourth straight European competition that these sides have matched up in, with Madrid winning on penalties after a 4-4 score on aggregate in last season’s quarter finals.City had beaten them 4-0 and 4-3 on their previous two visits to the Etihad. With attack the best form of defence, those high scores could come into play again here.First scorer and correct score predictionsCorrect score: 2-2 at 9/1 with Betfred – HEREFirst scorer: Vinicius Jr 13/2 with talkSPORT BET – HEREMan City vs Real Madrid latest oddsOdds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.How to claim..William Hill £60 welcome bonusVisit the William Hill website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: T60Once your account is registered, click ‘opt in’ on the ‘Vegas Promotion’ pageDeposit a minimum of £10 in your main account to receive a £20 Vegas Bonus for use on Selected GamesThen place a bet with a minimum stake of £10 at odds of 1/2 or greater on any football marketOnce that’s settled, your account will be credited with £40 in free betsWilliam Hill: Claim £60 welcome bonus – click here*Man City vs Real Madrid predictions and tipsTchou are ya?This back four are going to be seriously tested, particularly against a Man City team who have to come out and go for it at home you’d think.That could put all sorts of pressure on Aurelien Tchouameni, who has filled in there plenty of times but it’s still not completely natural for him.The physical battle with Erling Haaland will test him, as will the likely speed out wide. 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PEP GUARDIOLA admits he has no idea which Manchester City will turn up for their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.City’s “incredible machine” malfunctioned during a disastrous run at the end of 2024 and they were thumped 5-1 in the Prem by Arsenal nine days ago.Pep Guardiola admits he does not know which Man City team will turn upCredit: GettyAnd he fears the quality of Real Madrid’s Fab 4, including Jude BellinghamCredit: GettyAhead of tonight’s play-off first leg at the Etihad, boss Guardiola said: “This season we struggled a lot. Before I would feel, ‘Yeah, the team is consistent, we can do it’. Now it’s like, ‘I don’t know’.“You never know before the game what’s going to happen, how they react. And now we’ve had a lot of injuries, players are a little bit up and down.”City have won seven of their last ten games in all competitions, a run that included the humiliation by the Gunners and a 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.Guardiola’s reigning Prem champs are currently fifth — 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd he said: “We are not being consistent. What defined this team in the last decade is we are an incredible machine every three days.“Otherwise, we could not win six titles in seven years and these incredible trophies.“Of course, we can perform well on Tuesday, of course we can perform well in Madrid, of course we can perform well to the end of the season,“But before, I could tell you, ‘OK, it’s going to happen now’ — and now  I don’t know how it’s going to react, that’s the reality.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis is the fifth time in six seasons the heavyweights have been drawn together after struggling in the new-look league phase.Pep added: “I know the game plan. I know the way we want to play.Pep Guardiola preview Man City’s tasty clash against Leyton Orient“I still have doubts for the selection, because I have injuries and people come back.“But at the same time, I’m so optimistic and calm. We’ll see what happens.“Of course it would be good to continue for the club, for the prestige to win this competition.”Pep knows it will be “impossible” to keep Real Madrid’s Fab Four quiet for both legs of their heavyweight European eliminator.But City must stop Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham from being too influential if they are to make the last-16 of the Champions League.Guardiola admitted: “All four are exceptional. It’s impossible — 90 minutes, 180 minutes or 200 minutes if there’s extra time — to control these four players.“How they combine, the ability one against one, how they keep the ball.“We have to reduce their involvement as much as possible. They have the ability to keep it and make extra touches and extra passes.“When that happens,  they can run, they can combine the shortest passes with the moments in behind.”City defender Ruben Dias pointed out the Premier League champions have “guns” of their own in the dressing room such as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.And the last two winners of this tournament could hardly know each other any better.FOUR CLASSIC EURO TIESMAN CITY 2 REAL MADRID 12019-20 last 16 – Man City won 4-2 on aggregateLATE strikes from Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus completed a 2-1 first-leg comeback win in Madrid, although the pandemic meant City were not able to finish the job — by the same scoreline — until 163 days later.REAL MADRID 3 MAN CITY 12021-22 semi-final – Real Madrid win 6-5 on aggregateFOLLOWING their 4-3 first-leg win, City were cruising into a final against Liverpool when Riyad Mahrez made it 1-0 on the night.But Rodrygo’s injury-time double and Karim Benzema’s extra-time penalty KO’d them.MAN CITY 4 REAL MADRID 02022-23 semi-final – Man City win 5-1 on aggregateTHERE was no stopping City this time and after a 1-1 draw in Madrid, they blew Real away.Bernardo Silva’s double set the tone before late Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez goals booked a final spot against Inter Milan.MAN CITY 1 REAL MADRID 12023-24 quarter-finals – 4-4 on aggregate, Real Madrid win 4-3 on pensCITY could not repeat their heroics from the year before as Madrid somehow held out for penalties — despite facing 34 shots on goal.Bernardo and Mateo Kovacic missed from 12 yards and Antonio Rudiger hit the winner.This will be the fifth season in six they have been drawn together — each having gone through twice so far.City have lost just one of eight legs against the Spanish giants.But their defence has struggled to keep clean sheets this season – particularly without the protection usually provided by midfielder Rodri since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in September.And the addition of French superstar Mbappe to the Madrid sides City have faced in previous years makes their task even harder.Guardiola insisted: “We are going to try to impose our game and be smart, especially in the first leg.“The way you have to play. It’s important to read the tempo. We have to play to get a good result to take to the Bernabeu.”Madrid have their own defensive problems so attack could be the best form of defence for City.Guardiola added: “What we were, what we are — I know perfectly.“But the team has something special, our team. Hopefully, on Tuesday we can prove it.”The return of Dias — who has started only 19 matches in an injury-hit campaign — will be crucial to City’s hopes.And the Portuguese defender, 27, claimed that holders Madrid should be worried too. He said: “Since I’ve been here this is the most ­difficult season.”But even in the most difficult times you can achieve something beautiful.  We know how difficult it will be. But we have loads of guns in the dressing room and just have to use them the right way.”Dias believes City have learned plenty from their previous meetings with Madrid — and felt aggrieved to be knocked out of last April’s quarter-final on penalties.Two years ago, City memorably won 4-0 at the Etihad on their way to a historic Treble.A year before that they were knocked out in a dramatic semi-final in the Spanish capital.Dias added: “When we won the Treble, that feeling in the Bernabeu was important — the understanding of how good we need to be to win this game.“You might think the 4-0 was very easy, but it was a mix of so many things where we needed to be full on our game.“Last year was frustrating because we dominated but weren’t able to score the goals that would have made the difference.“They won’t make it easy for us. We need to do what we do better than ever and fight more than ever because that’s how you win.”Dias is raring to go after a stop-start last few months — having rushed back from injury too soon.He admitted: “It’s been frustrating. In a period like this, in which you want to be next to your family on the pitch.“You help any way you can. One of the ways is to recover as well and as fast as you can.“You need to be wise with the comeback, the schedule is ruthless. READ MORE SUN STORIESYou’re at a point when the train is going in the season and you need to catch that train.”If Dias helps City win tonight, it would be just the ticket. More