Manchester City v Schalke preview: all you need to know

FOLLOW LIVE BUILD-UP FROM MANCHESTER
City edged first leg 3-2 in Germany
Schalke’s last six games against English sides: D2 L4
City have won one of five home games in round of 16
Only one team have ever overturned 3-2 deficit away

Reporter’s view (Simon Hart, UEFA.com): City are strong favourites to reach their third quarter-final in four years. Schalke gave them a scare in Germany but ultimately City punished their lapses. Josep Guardiola’s men are on a winning roll in the Premier League and, in all competitions, have nine straight home wins in 2019 (aggregate score: 39-3). Stones’ presence in training suggests he could play while Fernandinho’s absence shouldn’t be a problem given Gündogan’s rich form.

Possible line-ups

First-leg highlights

Man. City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko; B Silva, Gundogan, D Silva; Sterling, Agüero, Sané
Out: De Bruyne (hamstring), Mendy (knee), Bravo (Achilles), Kompany (unspecified), Fernandinho (suspended), Otamendi (suspended)
Doubtful: Stones (muscular)
Misses next game if booked: Agüero

Schalke: Fährmann; Stambouli, Sané, Nastasić; McKennie, Konoplyanka, Rudy, Oczipka, Bentaleb; Embolo, Burgstaller
Out: Caligiuri (ankle ligament), Harit (disciplinary), Mascarell (groin), Schöpf (knee), Uth (disciplinary)

MAKE FANTASY CHANGES

Key battle

Gündoğan v Bentaleb: Gelsenkirchen-born İlkay Gündoğan is expected to deputise for suspended talisman Fernandinho at the base of the City midfield. The German international will play a crucial role in knitting together the hosts’ attacks, as the Brazilian does so well, in addition to shielding a City defence shorn of Nicolás Otamendi, Vincent Kompany and possibly John Stones from Nabil Bentaleb, who scored two penalties in the first leg.

Where to watch

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

Great second-leg comebacks

Form guide

Man. City
Last game: Manchester City 3-1 Watford (09/03)
Form: WWDWWWWWLW

Schalke
Last game: Werder Bremen 4-2 Schalke (08/03)
Form: LLLLDLWLDW

Pep Guardiola, Man. City manager

©Getty Images

Many things can happen in 90 minutes in this type of competition. In the first leg we were quite lucky, playing for 20 to 25 minutes with ten men when 2-1 down. In normal circumstances we could have been out of this competition, so we were lucky.

I don’t feel the pressure to win it. Pressure is to do a good job, to compete better in quarter-finals and semi-finals, and to improve on past mistakes. This is a competition that punishes your mistakes a lot because of the quality of the opponents. This competition is not another game, it is a special game. Schalke had two shots on target and scored two goals in the first leg. We could have been 3-1 or 4-1 down coming into today.

Domenico Tedesco, Schalke coach

We are obviously massive outsiders, but we still have a small chance. We will need a special day. We are playing in the last 16 of the Champions League on merit.

We know our league situation only too well. It is precarious, highly dangerous. And yet we want to stand tall here and get a result. For long stretches of the first leg we did well.