Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini believes there is no clear favourite in their Champions League tie with Real Madrid following a goalless first leg between the two sides at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
The two teams will do battle in the return leg at the Bernabeu on May 4, with City aiming to reach their first final in Europe’s elite club competition.
The Citizens will have their work cut out in Madrid, as Los Blancos are yet to concede a goal on home soil in this season’s competition, but Pellegrini insists the tie is still too close to call.
He said: “I don’t think they are favourites. As I said before, we have the same chance as Real Madrid. Of course, they have the advantage to play the first game away so they tried to manage the pace of the game and after that they will finish at home.”
City themselves have an impressive away record in this season’s competition, as they have won at Borussia Monchengladbach, Sevilla and Dynamo Kiev, while they also secured a draw at the Parc des Princes in the quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Pellegrini believes their record on the road can continue at the Bernabeu, and he insists his players will head into the match without any fear.
He added: “Against PSG, we drew and we won against Sevilla and Dynamo Kiev so we are not afraid to go to the Bernabeu and we will see which team plays better then.”
If City do manage to progress through to the final they will take on either Atletico Madrid or Bayern Munich in the showpiece event at the San Siro on May 28.
City are currently on offer at 7.50 to secure their maiden Champions League crown this season.
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