De Bruyne benched: Manchester City reveals starting XI for UCL quarter-final encounter against Real Madrid
In a surprising move, Manchester City has left Kevin De Bruyne on the bench for their Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid, citing illness. Meanwhile, Real Madrid faces injury concerns but fields a strong lineup for the high-stakes encounter.
FollowIn the much-anticipated clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final, Pep Guardiola's side has made some notable lineup changes. Missing from the squad are Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker due to injuries, leading to Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol joining Ruben Dias and John Stones in defense. The major surprise comes in midfield, with star player Kevin De Bruyne being dropped to the bench after reportedly feeling unwell earlier in the day.
On the other side, Real Madrid enters the fixture as the current leaders of LaLiga, boasting an eight-point lead over second-placed Barcelona and coming off a victory against RB Leipzig in the previous round. Despite facing some injury concerns, including the absence of Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba, Real Madrid fields a strong lineup featuring Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Jnr in attack. Additionally, Antonio Rüdiger anchors the defense, while Toni Kroos gets the nod in midfield over Luka Modric.
