Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to start for Manchester City tonight as they face Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium, aiming to overcome a significant three-goal deficit from the first leg. The Italian goalkeeper has been Pep Guardiola’s preferred choice in goal since his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
A top-tier performance will be crucial for him, as every goal conceded could severely impact the Premier League giants’ chances of a comeback in this high-stakes encounter.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are preparing to host Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg held in Germany. Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori will begin the match on the bench for Mikel Arteta’s side, with former Leverkusen player Piero Hincapie starting at left-back.
Calafiori recently earned accolades in the Premier League for a remarkable scorpion-kick block that prevented an early goal from Everton. The ex-Bologna player is available as a substitute for the Gunners and could be introduced by Arteta during the game, potentially impacting the flow of play.
