Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Tue Sep 18th 19:45  

Live-ESPN

The journey to Wembley Stadium begins Tuesday, 18th September, as 32 teams enter group stage, each with the dream of lifting the trophy with the big ears.

Xabi Alonso vs Yaya Toure Will Be the Key Matchup

Real Madrid and Manchester City boast some of the best attacking players in the world with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Mario Balotelli, David Silva, Samir Nasri among others.

However, both teams could make the case that their central midfielders, Xabi Alonso and Yaya Toure, are their most valuable players. 

Alonso and Toure are the glue that keeps both teams together, with their passing and defense in the midfield helping control the game for their respective team. 

While both of them play behind the attacking players, they should go head-to-head for most of the game.

Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo

It is no coincidence that Real Madrid's poor start to the season has coincided with Cristiano Ronaldo's apparent sulk.

Unless the Portuguese mega-star can put a smile back on his face, his personal problems run the risk of overshadowing what was supposed to be Madrid's best opportunity to reach the Promised Land since 2002.

Make no mistake though, Jose Mourinho's side will still be feared by all in their path in the Champions League, with or without a happy Ronaldo.

Real Madrid will begin their 2012/13 UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. Mourinho will be up against Mancini in front of an anxious and demanding home crowd at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid must bounce back from their poor start in the league.

Things are going really badly for Real Madrid in La Liga. They already find themselves eight points behind Barcelona. Los Blancos have so far not been able to replicate the kind of football that saw them dethrone Barcelona in the league last season. It seems like they are yet to regain the energy they invested in their 100-point achievement.

Real Madrid are under intense pressure to “play like a team”: pass the ball accurately, defend well, attack intelligently, score and win. They will be looking to put their current league troubles aside on Tuesday.

However, they face a huge challenge in the form of English Premier League reigning champions Manchester City. Meanwhile, the Citizens have defensive problems to settle.

It is arguably difficult to declare a winner on paper between Madrid and City. Both teams have really good players; Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, Javi Garcia and Mesut Özil to name a few.

The power of mentality will surely play a huge role in the outcome of the match as this is what Group of Deaths are about. Real Madrid vs Manchester City represents various things.

The match will see Jose Mourinho reunited with ex-Inter starlet Mario Balotelli, Cristiano Ronaldo up against Manchester City for the first time since 2009 and two reigning league champions in confrontation.

Champions league  Schedule 2012-13- 1st week

Live

   19:45    The UEFA Champions League : BV Borussia Dortmund v Ajax     

Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Malaga v FK Zenit St. Petersburg   

  Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Milan v RSC Anderlecht    

 Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Montpellier HSC v Arsenal  

   Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Nk Dinamo Zagreb v FC Porto

     Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Olympiakos v FC Schalke 04 

    Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Paris Saint Germain FC v Dynamo Kiev     Tue Sep 18th 19:45     The UEFA Champions League : Real Madrid v Manchester City 

Final Score: Real Madrid 2 -- Manchester City 1

All things considered Real Madrid should win this game as they will be the hungrier team. 

Madrid as a team has taken a beating both on and off the field and in front of their own fans, I expect them to respond like the world-class team their are. 

Manchester City will be eager to prove to the world they belong in the same class as the Real Madrids and Barcelonas of the world, so it will be a tough, physical game from the get go.

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