ICC Match: Manchester City vs Real Madrid Preview
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will witness Real Madrid and Manchester City face off as the International Champions Cup (ICC) comes to a close on Friday night and we offer up our thoughts in the Bet King’s latest soccer betting tips article.
The game between Spanish giants Madrid and English Premier League big spenders Manchester City is the most eagerly anticipated game of the Australian edition of the ICC. The enormous MCG will be likely to be close to its 100,000 capacity in a match that may feature Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, David Silva and Raheem Sterling to name a few.
City won their first match of the tournament by beating AS Roma on penalties. Joe Hart saved two kicks from the spot and scoring one himself as City won 5-4.
Manuel Pellegrini will only be hoping to fine tune his team ahead of the new season, but it would give him extra pleasure in putting one across his old team. The Chilean managed the Los Blancos for one season before being sacked in 2010. City will be without captain Vincent Kompany with the centre-back returning to UK to attend the birth of his third child.
The match represents the second time Rafael Benitez is in charge after he saw his side slump to a defeat by Roma on penalties following a goalless draw. There’s no tougher position that the Madrid managerial position. So, eventhough it is a pre-season match, he would be under pressure not to lose again.
To add to that there is enough tension going around in the Madrid camp. Rumours of a rift between Benitez and Ronaldo in training were quickly rebuffed but all is not well. Their star defender and captaincy candidate Sergio Ramos is still unsettled. His reported move to Manchester United and his future with Madrid will be discussed by Florentino Perez when they move to China next week.
It remains to be seen if Sterling starts again for City while the young Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho will look to impress once again. Madrid could see the involvement of Benzema, Kroos and Isco after being on the bench for the last match.
It is sure going to be a close match though Madrid will have a slight edge if all the big guns turn up. Don’t discount City giving them a scare. At odds of $3.70 offered by Sportsbet, backing City to put it across Madrid is an enticing bet.
