El Real Madrid flew out from the Spanish capital on Monday morning to Manchester, where they landed on a rainy day with temperatures barely reaching 4°C, accompanied by a squad decimated by defensive injuries, including Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Éder Militão, David Alaba, and Antonio Rüdiger.

As many as five players from the youth team, not counting Raúl Asencio, who is already part of the first team, joined the Madrid expedition. The players are goalkeeper Sergio Mestre, defenders Jacobo Ramón and Lorenzo Aguado, midfielder Chema Andrés, and forward Gonzalo García.

With a squad full of defensive absences for Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid made the just over two-hour journey from Madrid to Manchester, where they landed late in the morning and immediately headed to The Lowry Hotel to concentrate.

Located just eight kilometers from Etihad Stadium, Real Madrid will hold their final training session in the afternoon at 20:00 (Spanish time, 19:00 UK time), before the match. During this session, Ancelotti will decide the adjustments to make to his starting lineup. Prior to the session, the Italian manager and Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes will address the media at the official UEFA press conference at the match venue.

Real Madrid is playing in the new knockout stage of the Champions League, fighting for a spot in the Round of 16, a place they didn’t secure directly in the group stage, against Manchester City.

The first leg at Etihad will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, with the return leg scheduled for Wednesday, 19th, at the Santiago Bernabéu, in an unexpected clash between two of the favorites for the title, repeating for the fourth consecutive edition.

Real Madrid's Tactical Preparation for the Upcoming Clash

With numerous injuries in the defensive line, Carlo Ancelotti faces a tough challenge in assembling a competitive team to face Manchester City. The team's defensive setup will be crucial in maintaining stability against one of the most powerful offensive teams in Europe. The tactical decisions made in this final training session will be key for the Madridistas to keep their Champions League dreams alive.