5 reasons Manchester City will defeat Real Madrid

2. David Silva is back

While Sergio Aguero gets the goals and the plaudits (and deservedly so) David Silva is often credited with truly making Manchester City tick. They may win games without him – City were actually unbeaten in the three weeks that their playmaker was absent for this month – but they rarely look as fluent and convincing a side without the little Spaniard pulling the strings. It is no coincidence that a slightly weakened City side put four past Stoke on the weekend with Silva returning to the starting lineup. Just as importantly for Pellegrini, he was able to bring the diminutive Spaniard off before the hour mark, ensuring that Silva will be fully rested for Tuesday’s first leg.

Real Madrid’s first choice central midfield pairing is Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. While both are rightly considered world class players, neither are known for their defensive nous. As such, Silva should have plenty of space in which to dictate proceedings on Tuesday night. If Madrid choose to play a more defensive minded midfielder such as Casemiro to nullify Silva’s threat, they will have to sacrifice a creative player of their own – either one of Kroos or Modric, or perhaps an attacking midfielder such as James Rodriguez or Isco. It’s a win-win for City.

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