BREAKING: Man City make another four changes to starting XI for thrilling Real Madrid clash

For Saturday’s 4-2 victory of Manchester City over Crystal Palace, Pep Guardiola used a lot of rotations.

Pep Guardiola is short of options in defence ahead of Real Madrid vs Man City (Image: Getty)

Pep Guardiola has a lot of decisions to make regarding his starting lineup for Tuesday night’s visit by Manchester City to the Bernabeu. Even in the best of times, defeating Real Madrid is a difficult undertaking, and the Champions League holders’ recent string of injuries has made it even more difficult.

The first of four probable changes from the 4-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday should see Ederson replace Stefan Ortega in goal for the quarterfinal first leg. Since suffering an injury in the draw with Liverpool, Ederson has not participated in competitive play for nearly a month, and City’s number two has played admirably in his absence.

It would be risky to throw the Brazilian back in at the deep end, but he is still City’s best goalie and was instrumental in the team’s run to Champions League victory the previous year.

Due to injuries, Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker will not play for Real Madrid, and Josko Gvardiol may also be sidelined, according to Guardiola.

With John Stones and Ruben Dias almost certainly making up the back three, City is left without a natural left-sided defender to round out the defense. On his weaker side, the adaptable Manuel Akanji might be called upon to fill in for the injured Gvardiol.

If Rico Lewis is chosen to play the hybrid position of right-back and central midfield, he will face one of the most difficult nights of his career in terms of both establishing his dominance in the game and containing Vinicius Junior.

It’s inevitable that Phil Foden will return to the starting lineup ahead of Rodri and the 19-year-old. After scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa the previous week, he was rested for the entirety of Palace’s match. The only question now is where he will play. Though it’s hard to imagine Guardiola starting him out on the left, where Jack Grealish has performed well enough to hold onto his spot, given how effective he was in the center against Villa.

Thus, Foden ought to start alongside Kevin De Bruyne in an attacking midfield role, taking the place of Julian Alvarez. Bernardo Silva could replace Oscar Bobb in the starting lineup as the fourth and final change. Silva would start on the right wing.

Bobb has seen Champions League action four times already this season, but Tuesday’s matchup is one of the biggest events of the year. Perhaps no City player is more suitable for the momentous occasion than Bernardo, who is expected to depart the team this summer.

Erling Haaland will undoubtedly lead the line as usual for the reigning treble winners as they try to get the better of Los Blancos before their second leg at the Etihad Stadium next week. If left off the field, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku, and Alvarez could all be game-changing substitutes.