Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has handed a first start to Fabian Delph for this morning's pre-season friendly against Real Madrid.

The England international slots into a Citizens midfield that also contains Yaya Toure and Fernando at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

City, competing in their final fixture Down Under, stick with Raheem Sterling up top alongside David Silva and Samir Nasri.

In terms of the visitors, Cristiano Ronaldo starts from the off in the International Champions Cup clash, as does Gareth Bale.

Premier League-linked stars Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema are also named in a strong starting lineup for Madrid, meanwhile, as they look to bounce back from their penalty shootout defeat to Roma last time out.

Man City XI: Hart, Sagna, Denayer, Humphreys, Kolarov, Toure, Fernando, Delph, Nasri, Silva, Sterling

Real Madrid XI: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Kroos, Modric, Isco; Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale

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Written by
Daniel Lewis