How City can avoid fresh European calamity in Bernabeu

Fill the right-back void

Joao Cancelo is back from suspension and could deputise for Kyle Walker, who is doubtful with an ankle injury. Cancelo has ample recovery pace but his strengths lie in possession rather than as a defender – at Arsenal on New Year’s Day he was targeted relentlessly by Gabriel Martinelli.

This could be City’s biggest problem, given he will face Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid’s primary link to Karim Benzema. John

Stones, a centre-half, was given the task of shackling Vinicius in the first leg only to come off injured after 36 minutes. His replacement, Fernandinho, was left trailing by Vinicius, who raced clear from 60 yards to score Real’s second goal.

Right-back is a stabilising position in Pep Guardiola’s system, often occupying central positions like a third centre-back or holding midfielder, so Cancelo may have to curb his instincts.

Force Real’s midfield to run

Just as Madrid will be funnelling attacks down their left, so will City. Guardiola decided Dani Carvajal was a weakness in the Madrid defence, with 47.1 per cent of City’s attacks coming down their left at the Etihad.

This was reflected by the positioning of Kevin De Bruyne, who unusually favoured the left-half space rather than his preferred perch at inside right.

Real’s midfield of Federico Valverde or Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are a narrow trio, vulnerable to switches of play that make them traverse across the pitch. Despite De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva being thought of as central attacking midfielders, they regularly took up positions outside of Madrid’s midfield.

Either Madrid’s midfield was forced to spread across the pitch which opened up passing lanes between them, or wide players Rodrygo and Vinicius tracked back to help, which limited their counterattacking potential.

Be more clinical

As bewitching as City’s attacking football may have been in the first leg of this tie, it is easy to understand why Guardiola wanted to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham last summer and why the club hope to bring in Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland at the end of this season.

City created enough chances in the first leg to win two or three matches and, as well as Gabriel Jesus played, there may have been a few of a blue persuasion casting envious glances in the direction of Benzema, who scored twice and seldom requires a second invitation in front of goal.

There were also occasions when players took on shots when there was the option to square and set up a potential tap-in – notably Riyad Mahrez in the first half, when Phil Foden was free at the back post. City can ill afford to be so wasteful in the Bernabeu.