Real Madrid and Manchester City face off in one of the ties of the Champions League last-16 draw, with the first leg taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight.
Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola are two legends of the game both on and off the pitch but, remarkably, this is the first time they will face each other as coaches in a competitive capacity.
Man City head into this game with fire in their bellies following Uefa's decision to ban them from the Champions League for the next two years. City are appealing the ban and multi-million pound fine, but will want to go as far as they can this year to spite Uefa and also realise their long-held ambitions of finally winning this trophy.
As for Real, Zidane is back in the hotseat following his hat-trick of triumphs in this competition between 2015 and 2018. Los Blancos could never be described as dark horses for a trophy they have won a record 13 times, the fact they are not favourites this year could well work in their favour.
With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, here's a look at how things could go tonight...
Real Madrid vs Man City prediction: 1-1 draw
City have not been at their best this season, but their impending Champions League ban could focus minds as Guardiola and his players come to terms with the fact that this could be the last time they could be in this competition before autumn 2022.
Similarly, Real are not the force they once were - but while they lack the world-class brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo up front, Zidane's side have a steely resolve in defence and can rely on Karim Benzema in attack.
Real would likely take a score draw with the intention of picking up a result in Manchester given their experience in this competition, but much depends on whether City will go out to try and win the tie in the first 90 minutes.
If Guardiola attempts to mirror Real, it could be a cagey affair - but Raheem Sterling (linked with a summer move to Real) will desperately want to make his mark at the Bernabeu and could find joy on the counter-attack.
Don't be surprised to see City strike first, though Real should rally - and don't bet against a Sergio Ramos penalty at some point.
Real Madrid vs Man City betting tips
Key odds
- Real Madrid to win: 11/5
- Man City to win: 7/5
- Draw: 13/5
- Under 1.5 goals: 7/2
- Over 1.5 goals: 1/4
Our top tips
- 1-1 draw: 13/2
- Karim Benzema to score first: 11/2
- Raheem Sterling to score first: 8/1
- Sergio Ramos to score: 5/1
Odds provided by Betfair Exchange. Click here for more odds.
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