Manchester City know they have to win tonight if they are to stand any chance of progressing to the next round of the Champions League.

Standing in their way is the small matter of regining and serial champions Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola was handed some positive injury news before the game, with Erling Haaland, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias and Jack Grealish all part of the 22-man travelling squad.

Ederson is expected to start in goal after a positive performance at the weekend. Rico Lewis has struggled at right-back and so John Stones should take his place.

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It would be a massive gamble to play Ake and Dias at centre-back given they've just returned from knocks but tonight is a night to forget about logic. City need to pick the best XI from the players that have travelled and they are part of their best XI. Josko Gvardiol can continue at left-back.

Nico Gonzalez could finally be the Rodri replacement City have been looking for and so he has to start. Kevin De Bruyne has reserved his best City performances for the Bernabeu and so he should start, while Bernardo Silva's presence alongside Guardiola at the pre-match press conference is a hint that he will be in the XI.

Of course Haaland plays even if he isn't 100% fit, with Phil Foden and Savinho the perfect picks either side of him as City look to start on the front foot in Madrid.

City predicted XI: Ederson; Stones, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez, Bernardo, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Savinho