Reuniting with increasingly familiar foes in the Champions League playoff round, Manchester City host Real Madrid in Tuesday's colossal first leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's men avoided an unthinkable league-phase elimination thanks to a 3-1 win over Club Brugge last time out in Europe, thus winding up in 22nd place in the 36-team table.
Speaking of the Citizens surviving scares, that was also the case in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round clash with Leyton Orient, where they were again forced to come from behind to eke out a 2-1 victory.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up Man City's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest with Los Blancos, who also under-performed in the league phase as they finished 11th.
Nico Gonzalez
© Imago
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Knock
Possible return date: February 11 (vs. Real Madrid)
Nico Gonzalez's Man City debut against Leyton Orient could hardly have gone worse; he was bundled over before the hosts scored a freak opener, the referee did not deem the challenge to be a foul, and he was taken off injured shortly after.
Guardiola did not provide much of an update on his condition after the game, so it remains to be seen if the January signing is fit to face Real.
© Imago
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Unspecified
Possible return date: February 11 (vs. Real Madrid)
First-choice goalkeeper Ederson has now sat out Man City's last two matches with an unexplained problem, albeit one that might settle down in time for him to face Carlo Ancelotti's side.
© Imago
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown
Rodri has been named in Man City's squad for the UCL knockout stages, suggesting that he might be back from his ACL injury before the end of the season, but he still has months of recovery ahead of him.
© Imago
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Unspecified
Possible return date: February 11 (vs. Real Madrid)
Jeremy Doku has been carrying an unspecified injury since the middle of January, and having missed out against Leyton Orient, the tight turnaround time makes him doubtful for Tuesday too.
© Imago
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: February 11 (vs. Real Madrid)
Likewise, Nathan Ake is struggling with a muscle problem - one that has seen him miss City's last six games - and it is not clear whether he has a chance of being available for the visit of the European champions.
© Imago
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Leg fracture
Possible return date: February 11 (vs. Real Madrid)
Oscar Bobb is finally on the cusp of making his return from the leg fracture he sustained in the summer, and even though Saturday's clash with Leyton Orient came too soon, there is a slim chance that he might make the squad in midweek.
MANCHESTER CITY'S SUSPENSION LIST
Man City have no players suspended for this match, but new signing Vitor Reis is unavailable, having been omitted from the Citizens' squad for the knockout stages.
Ben Knapton
