SCHALKE 04 VS MANCHESTER CITY PREview
Intro
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City is the bookies favourite for to be this year's Champion's League champion. But you will never hear Guardiola himself say such a thing. The Spanish manager is adamant that his team is not ready to challenge for Europe's biggest pie.
Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Vincent Kompany could be forgiven if they disagree with their head coach. The trio has won the Premier League three times and may feel the time is right for European dominance. The round of 16 draw was rather kind for the Citizens as Schalke 04 sits a disappointing 14th in the Bundesliga table.
12th is actually respectable considering how they started the season. Schalke lost its first five games of the league season. Their form Europe has been much better picking up a sole defeat away to Porto.
The clubs recently did business together in the winter transfer window as teenage Welsh sensation Rabbi Matondo followed the path of Jadon Sancho and Brahim Diaz in leaving the City academy for first-team football. The Manchester City squad is remarkably strong boasting two high-level players on all areas of the park.
There is a weakness in the left-back position, the deputies for Benjamin Mendy are not natural left backs and a few teams have exposed that this season. City has been patient with Mendy's recovery and French World Cup winner is expected to be fit for the tail end of the campaign. He will be needed if this is indeed the season that European success finally comes to the blue half of Manchester.
Predicted Line-up Schalke 04
Predicted Line-up-Manchester City
It's anybody's guess how Domenico Tedesco's team will line-up where their round of 16 tie begins on the 20th of February. The team is disseminated by injury and players have had to fill holes the entire season. There are several players fighting to be fit for the all-important meeting with Manchester City. New sigings Bruma and young Matondo both have a good chance to be involved. Weston McKinnie's versatility could also be important if the Germans are to pull off some sort of upset. Schalke has had to dip into the academy several times this season for help and the gamble has worked to an extent. Players like Kutucu and Wright have both contributed to the first team recently and could be asked to do so at the very highest level.
Goals(all season)- Nabil Bentaleb 6, Daniel Caligiuri 4, Mark Uth 4
Key Player- Salif Sané, Sane along with former Manchester City player Nastasic will need the performances of their lives to keep out the most potent attack in Europe. In his first season in Gelsenkirchen Sané has been one of the few players the team can count on.
Still competing in all four competitions by the time the first leg arrives, much rotation will be expected. Don't be shocked to see John Stones, Bernardo, Jesus or any other players not predicted in City's starting line up, they all have started their fair share of games this season. The game might be fantastic for record signing Mahrez who has found the inter-squad competition difficult to cope with. He has been trusted in the Champions League and Pep might choose to continue to do so. With Schalke's team so thin it is very difficult to see any other result but a City victory.
Goals(all season)- Sergio Aguero 23, Gabriel Jesus 16, Raheem Sterling 14
Key Player-Sergio Aguero- Once Manchester City's all-time leading goal scorer stays fit, City has a massive chance to win the entire thing. Last season injury ruled him out of the Liverpool tie and that proved costly for the English champions.