Real Madrid (probable 4-D-2) Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Tchouameni, Mendy; Camavinga, Valverde, Kroos, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior.

Subs: Kepa, Gonzalez, Militao, Garcia, Nacho, Modric, Ceballos, Güler, Brahim Diaz, Vazquez, Joselu.

Manchester City (probable 4-2-3-1) Ortega; Akanji, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, Silva, Grealish; Haaland.

Subs: Ederson, Carson, Lewis, Gomez, Bobb, Nunes, Susoho, De Bruyne, Doku, Alvarez.

Referee Francois Letexier (France).

There’s a surprise benching from Real too – the captain, Nacho. Aurélien Tchouameni drops back into defence to take his place, and Eduardo Camavinga takes over as the holder in the midfield diamond. With Luca Modric there too, the bench is beginning to resemble a galaxy.

Kevin De Bruyne starts on the bench, where he may have steam coming out of his ears. Ederson stays among the subs too, so Stefan Ortega starts in goal. Mateo Kovacic joins Rodri in the pivot, and Jack Grealish edges out Jeremy Doku on the left.

Hello, good evening and welcome to what should be a gripping cup-tie. In the white corner, the most successful club in the history of European competition. In the light-blue corner, the leading club in the world at the moment. This is their seventh meeting in five years, every one in the Champions League knock-out stages.

Real Madrid may have 14 European Cups, but last time they ran into Manchester City, in a CL semi-final last May, they lost 4-0. And City are scoring freely again now, with four apiece in their last two games after a stodgy spell. But Pep Guardiola has been doing his best to play down the chances of a repeat. “Beating Real Madrid twice in a row is impossible,” he said yesterday, with his usual understatement. “They have learned and will want revenge. They have pride.”

Up to a point, Lord Guardiola. Last year felt like the turning of the tide. Real had only squeezed past City in the 2022 semi-final by the skin of their teeth, relying on goals from Rodrygo in the 90th and 95th minute to scrape into extra-time, then winning a penalty to complete their comeback from 0-1 to 3-1.

This time though, Real have three trump cards. They are unbeaten at home since last April. Tonight’s first leg is the 200th Champions League game for Carlo Ancelotti, the most successful manager in the tournament’s history. And Real have Jude Bellingham, who has become a superstar since Ancelotti converted him into a false nine.

It’s going to be fascinating to see him take on a City defence that is missing the pace of Kyle Walker and the composure of Nathan Ake. The central duel could well be between an Englishman playing in Spain and a Spaniard playing in England – the mighty Bellingham and the masterly Rodri.

Kick-off is at 9pm in Madrid, 8pm BST. All being well, I’ll be back soon with the teams.