Champion League Preview: Real Madrid host Pep Guardiola's Man City; San Siro prepares for Milan derby

Man City will have all the tools in their arsenal as they try to down the defending and the record champion Real Madrid in their own backyard. On the flip side, Milan’s San Siro is set for a historic semifinal clash as city rivals Inter and AC Milan go head-to-head.

City chase treble

City’s wounds are still not healed from their last visit to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, having suffered a catastrophic defeat. Pep Guardiola’s side was leading 5-3 on aggregate until the 89th minute of the second leg before Carlo Ancelotti’s side produced a remarkable comeback to level the tie and then in extra time.

Real will have the services of talisman Karim Benzema and Vinícius Júnior, while Rodrygo was seen in excellent touch in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. He scored in Real’s 2-1 win over Osasuna and will be ready to deliver against Premier League champions. City on the flip side will bank on the record-breaking Haaland who has 35 goals in the league while Kevin de Bryune is also in a rich vein of form.

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Milan set for derby

Eighteen years after playing in their last knockout stage clash in the Champions League, Milan rivals AC Milan and Inter will meet again for a historic clash. The winner of the contest will head to Istanbul to play in the final with neither team making the final in the last decade. Inter last reached the final in 2010 when they beat Bayern Munich in the final while AC Milan reached the final in 2007 as they got the better of Liverpool.

Both teams will have a chunk of talent on board with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Edin Dzeko, Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leão. With both teams also fighting for a place in the top four of the Serie A and a direct place in the Champions League up for grabs, the contest will have huge bearings considering the significance of the situation.

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