3 reasons why Manchester City can defeat Real Madrid in the Round of 16 | UEFA Champions League 2019-20
The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw has thrown up some enthralling fixtures as Europe's biggest clubs discovered their fate for the next stage of the competition.
Manchester City's clash against Real Madrid is arguably the most mouth-watering encounter from the draw as Pep Guardiola is set to renew hostilities with Los Blancos more than six years after he faced them as Bayern Munich boss in the 2013-14 edition of the Champions League semi-finals.
The first leg of the fixture is set to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 26 and the second leg is slated to be played at the Etihad Stadium on March 17.
The Citizens' credentials in the Champions League will once again be under the scanner as they attempt to salvage their season with a much-awaited title in Europe.
The Manchester giants have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of the elite competition under the tutelage of Guardiola, and the importance of the trophy is further compounded by the fact that they are currently trailing 14 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League.
Guardiola, who himself has gone several years without winning the coveted title, will be looking to deploy his best team to get the better of the 13-time European champions, and although it seems a difficult challenge, the former Barcelona tactician knows Los Blancos well enough to get over any hurdle.
In this article, we take a look at three reasons why Manchester City can defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16 next year.
#3 Aymeric Laporte's potential return and the January transfer window
Aymeric Laporte has been sorely missed by Manchester City as his injury has impacted their title defence in the Premier League more than what was initially expected.
The Frenchman picked up a nasty knee injury during the Citizens' 4-0 win over Brighton back in August and since then, Guardiola has been forced to make up for his absence with a series of complex rotations within the squad.
One of those changes includes moving fernandinho/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fernandinho out of his central midfield position and using him as a cover for Laporte at the heart of the defence. It's safe to say the decision has not worked out in Guardiola's favour as the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri have largely failed to neutralise the opposition's counter-attacks and stabilise the area.
In what would be a big boost for the reigning Premier League champions, Laporte is expected to return to the squad in time for the two-legged fixture against Real Madrid in February.
The defender's comeback would not only fix the frailties the Citizens have suffered at the back but it would also facilitate the restoration of what was previously a compact and highly dangerous unit.
There is also a general air of positivity surrounding the January transfer window when one considers the history of City's recruitment business. If the English titans go in the market for at least a left-back, fans would be a little more optimistic about their chances of doing better in the Champions League.
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