After Manchester City’s highly entertaining penalty shoot-out win against Roma on Tuesday, the mighty Blues will take on 10-time European champions Real Madrid, where the winner could take home the coveted International Champions Cup.
Team News
Midfield duo Fabian Delph and Patrick Roberts have travelled to Australia after completing their moves from Aston Villa and Fulham, respectively, and are in contention for their debuts in the most important match of City’s pre-season.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini has promised fans that he will field a strong side in order to give them the best chance of winning the trophy, but believes it is also important to give younger players an opportunity in games like this.
Possible outcomes
As both of the matches prior to Friday’s heavyweight clash have relied on penalty shoot-outs to decide the winner, all three teams are still in with a chance of lifting the 2015 title. Anything but a defeat in 90 minutes or a 0-0 draw would see Pellegrini’s men named the first team to lift the International Champions Cup in Australia. However, if either or those two outcomes become reality, Roma or Real Madrid will be named champions, depending on whether the match requires a third penalty shoot-out of the tournament.
The Importance of the match
City fans across the globe have been awaiting a clash with one of Europe’s super clubs since February’s Champions League defeat to eventual champions Barcelona and, although this will not necessarily be a true reflection of the team’s quality, it will be vital to the players’ confidence and the fans’ belief that they can become the Premier League champions for the third time in five years.
Players to watch
Kelechi Iheanacho: The 18-year-old Nigerian striker has been undeniably consistent throughout City’s pre-season and it was confirmed on Thursday that he would remain at the Etihad this season to fight for his first-team place rather than go out on loan. His pace and precise finishing could make him a perfect understudy to Sergio Aguero and Wilfried Bony.
Patrick Roberts: If the young Englishman does make his debut, watch out for his technical ability on and off the ball. He has the quality to not just make runs but also pick them out. Although, he failed to score during his tenure at Fulham, better delivery could be exactly what he needs to add that ability to his game.
Joe Hart: England’s number one not only kept Manchester City in the match against Roma, but converted a penalty before saving two in a row to win them the game. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale firing shots at the City net, Hart will be pivotal to City’s chances.
