Man City v Real Madrid preview

Manchester City play in the last four of the Champions League for the first time on Tuesday but find 10-time winners Real Madrid standing between them and a place in the final.

Manuel Pellegrini’s preference would have been to play the first leg of their tie with the Spanish side at the Bernabeu but must make do with a home match instead.

The teams’ only previous competitive meetings were in the group stage of the 2012/13 competition, with City leading twice in the first game before losing 3-2 to a stoppage-time winner from Cristiano Ronaldo.

They fared better in the return fixture, coming back to draw 1-1 thanks to Sergio Aguero’s penalty after an opening goal from Karim Benzema.

Having won against Sevilla, Juventus, Borussia Monchengladbach, Dynamo Kiev and PSG this season, City have shown they are more streetwise in European ties than before.

Ominously for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, Real have won seven of the 11 knockout ties they have played against English teams.

For City to reach the final in Milan, they will have to beat a Spanish side over two games for the first time in nearly 50 years, having last achieved that against Athletic Bilbao in the 1969/70 season.

Pellegrini was in charge of Real for the 2009/10 campaign only to be sacked but said: “I don’t look back.

“I always prefer to think about what is happening now. …

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