Man City v Real Madrid Tips: Back 25/1 Mbappe first leg Bet Builder

• Kylian Mbappe is in fine form and can find the net at 7/52.40

• Real Madrid are experts at sniffing out weakness

• Rodrygo and Kevin De Bruyne both have strong history in this fixture

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

Betfair Champions League Superboost

Man City take on Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs on Tuesday evening and on the Betfair Sportsbook we have a Superboost for the clash.

Vinicius Jr. has had 12 shots on target in his last 5 UCL games and we have boosted him to have 1 or more shots on target vs Man City.

The Betfair Sportsbook have super-boosted the Real Madrid forwards price from 4/71.57 to 1/12.00.

To take advantage just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

Man City v Real Madrid
Tuesday 11 February, 20:00
Live on Discovery+ & Amazon Prime

City still alive but are outsiders to progress

It sounds unusual to say but Manchester City, the 2023 winners, will be glad to even have a shot at Champions League progression after almost messing up the group stage.

Needing to beat Club Brugge at the Etihad to advance to the last 16 having managed just two wins from their first seven group games, City were 1-0 down with eight minutes gone in the second half. But they found the necessary spark and strikes from Mateo Kovacic and Savinho along with an own goal sent them through.

Perhaps in another season, City would have faced average opposition in this two-legged play-off but, no, the draw pitted them against the competition's most successful ever team. When the final whistle goes in the Bernabeu next Wednesday night, one of these heavyweights will be out.

The market suggests it's more likely to be Pep Guardiola's men who exit. Real Madrid are 3/4 to reach the last 16 while Man City are the 11/102.11 outsiders.

Listen to Football...Only Bettor Champions League preview

Madrid are familiar foes

When the draw revealed the eight play-off matches there was a strong sense of 'here we go again' when these two were paired once more. This is the fourth straight season Madrid have faced off with City and the Spaniards have edged the previous three 2-1... somehow.

City smashed them 5-1 on aggregrate two seasons ago but either side of that Real pulled off a late miracle to force extra-time and sneak through in 2022 while last April Carlo Ancelotti's men won a penalty shootout after drawing 1-1 at the Etihad in the second leg. The first meeting had produced a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Of course, to be in this position, Real have rather messed up qualification too. They won five of their eight matches but lost the other three - away to Lille (0-1) and Liverpool (0-2) and at home to Milan (1-3).

Madrid can sniff out weakness

While Madrid are favourites to get it done over two legs, home advantage means Pep's side are shorter for the opener in Manchester.

The 90-minute market shows Man City at 11/102.11, Real Madrid 17/102.70 and The Draw 2/13.00. Three of the last four head-to-heads have ended all square, perhaps explaining that short draw price.

City's 4-0 win over Real in May 2023 was arguably some sort of peak in the Guardiola era. They were magnificent that night and simply blew the visitors away.

But getting towards two years on and much has changed. Rodri's injury has clearly left a hole but there has been drop offs in other areas too.

Real Madrid have an astonishing record in this competition, winning it six times in the last 11 editions and emerging triumphant in two of the last three.

When the stakes rise, they sniff out weakness and punish it. And that's why City could be in big trouble here.

Mbappe and Rodrygo can hurt City again

Kylian Mbappe has been to the Etihad three times as a player. He was an unused sub once but in the other two he found the net.

And there's every chance the flying Frenchman can carve through this unreliable City defence once more if the hosts make the running but leave themselves open to Mbappe-loving fast breaks.

Mbappe heads to Manchester on the back of scoring the equaliser for Real in the Madrid derby on Saturday night. That's now nine goals in his last seven games for Los Merengues and 23 in total since he pulled on the famous white shirt at the start of the campaign.

Which is all a way of saying that he's definitely worth a look at 7/52.40 to find the net. I'll play that as a single.

The other Madrid player that takes the eye is Rodrygo. The forward scored in both legs last season and City fans won't ever forget his late, late double that robbed them of a place in the final in 2022.

For City, Real have often brought out the best in Kevin De Bruyne and he has four goals and four assists in his nine meetings against them. 

De Bruyne got the winner for City in their narrow FA Cup win over Orient at the weekend and surely Pep will play him from the start in a fixture like this.

So let's go with a chunky Bet Builder that involves Mbappe and Rodrygo scoring in a Madrid win and De Bruyne being involved in a City consolation.

Now read more Football tips and previews here.