How Manchester City could line up against Real Madrid

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is still working around the absence of Nathan Ake ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.

The Dutchman has been forced to sit out the Citizens' last two games with a hamstring issue sustained in their success over Leeds United earlier this month, but he was feeling "much better" last week, according to his manager.

Nevertheless, Ake has not made the squad for the visit of Los Blancos, who were pegged back by the Citizens in a 1-1 first-leg draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.

An identical XI from that affair would see Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji form the three-man wall in front of Ederson, as the former prepares to resume his tantalising battle with Vinicius Junior.

A recall for John Stones will be in order as Aymeric Laporte drops out of the XI, and the England international should accompany Rodri in the centre of the park as per usual.

Fresh from a man-of-the-match performance against Everton, the in-form Ilkay Gundogan will don the captain's armband alongside Kevin De Bruyne, who was one of several key attackers named on the bench at Goodison Park.

Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva will also come back into the fray for Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez respectively, as Erling Braut Haaland seeks a second bite at the cherry after Antonio Rudiger came out on top in their individual battle in the first leg.

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland

> Click here to see how Real Madrid could line up for the second leg