Why they can win it
Few teams are capable of dealing with City’s metronomic passing and relentless pressing. Their strength in depth is unrivalled across Europe, while their hunger for a maiden Champions League triumph remains as ferocious as ever. After all, they couldn’t have gone much closer in Porto last May.
Record v semifinal opponents Real Madrid: P6 W2 D2 L2 F7 A7
Uefa ranking: 2
European Cup best: runners-up (2020/21)
Last season: runners-up (L 0-1 v Chelsea)
Last semifinal: 2020/21 (W 4-1 agg v Paris)
This season
Record: W6 D2 L2 F24 A10
Top scorer: Riyad Mahrez (6)
Quarterfinals: 1-0 agg v Atlético
Round of 16: 5-0 agg v Sporting CP
Group A: winners
Campaign so far
Ominously for City’s rivals, there is still room for improvement. The Group A winners lost two of their three games away from home in the section – albeit narrowly – and only kept their first clean sheet of this season’s competition in their last-16 first-leg win in Lisbon. They have now kept four in a row after that narrow aggregate success against Atlético, which highlights how, on top of their much-lauded attacking qualities, they can defend with real resilience too.
How they play
City play the Guardiola way: a team set up in a highly fluid 4-3-3 who want to dominate the ball and beat teams with the speed of their passing and movement. They defend in a high block and press the opposition with intensity, looking to hurt them on lightning-fast turnovers. And last but not least they are blessed with fabulously gifted individuals like Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, who have such awareness, creativity and powers of execution.
Key player: Kevin De Bruyne
The 30-year-old schemer passed 250 appearances for the club last season and remains a talismanic figure in their midfield despite the riches around him. He endured something of a slow start to the campaign but looks to be returning to his best, making a habit of scoring in key games since the end of the group stage including his winning strike in the quarterfinals.
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Coach: Pep Guardiola
One of the most decorated coaches in the game, the 51-year-old won this competition twice with Barcelona. He has scooped three league titles apiece at the helm of the Catalan club, Bayern and City.
Did you know?
Guardiola has now reached his ninth Champions League semifinal – surpassing the eight of old adversary José Mourinho.