Manchester City vs Real Madrid: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview

Oliver Platt

Manchester City vs Real Madrid: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview image

Pep Guardiola will take on his old rivals when Manchester City face Real Madrid in their latest International Champions Cup match on Wednesday night.

The game will kick off at 8pm in Los Angeles, meaning it will not start for fans watching at home in the UK until 4am on Thursday morning.

Your complete guide to the ICC

With new signings Benjamin Mendy and Danilo - who could face his former club immediately - in line to feature, though, there may be a few bleary-eyed City fans rising early to get a look at how the squad is shaping up.

Game Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Date Wednesday, July 26
Time 20:00 (local) / 04:00 BST (July 27)

TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM


Casemiro Real Madrid

In the UK, the match will be available to watch live on television on Premier Sports and by stream via Premier Player.

UK TV channel Online stream
Premier Sports Premier Player

In the US, the match will be available to watch live on television on ESPN and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes. It can also be streamed on WatchESPN.

US TV channel Online stream
ESPN / ESPN Deportes (Spanish) WatchESPN

SQUADS & TEAM NEWS


Position Man City players
Goalkeepers Ederson, Grimshaw, Muric
Defenders Walker, Stones, Kompany, Otamendi, Denayer, Mangala, Adarabioyo, Danilo, Mendy
Midfielders Zinchenko, Nasri, Roberts, Sterling, Gundogan, De Bruyne, D. Silva, Foden, Diaz, Fernandinho, Toure, Sane
Forwards Jesus, Aguero

Bernardo Silva and Claudio Bravo have been given time off after playing at the Confederations Cup, but Ederson, Kyle Walker, Danilo and Benjamin Mendy could all feature for City.

Wilfried Bony, Fernando, Kelechi Iheanacho and Fabian Delph did not travel and look set to leave, while Ilkay Gundogan and David Silva are with the squad but may not be fit.

Potential starting XI: Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Stones, Kolarov; Toure; Sterling, De Bruyne, Foden, Sane; Aguero.

Position Real Madrid players
Goalkeepers Navas, Casilla, Yanez, L. Zidane
Defenders Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Theo, Quezada, Tejero, Achraf, Manu
Midfielders Kroos, Casemiro, Modric, Isco, Ceballos, Kovacic, Oscar, Franchu
Forwards Benzema, Bale, Vazquez, Gomez, Mayoral

Sergio Ramos returned to training late after being given an extended holiday and did not play any part against Manchester United, but could be involved here. New signing Dani Ceballos is also waiting to make his debut.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains on his summer break following his participation at the Confederations Cup.

Potential starting XI: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Isco.


BETTING & MATCH ODDS


Gabriel Jesus Manchester City

Real Madrid are evens favourites to win, according to Oddschecker, with Man City priced at 5/2 the draw available at 16/5.

Karim Benzema is the 5/1 favourite to score first and is followed by Gareth Bale and Sergio Aguero at 11/2.


GAME PREVIEW


Marcelo Real Madrid

If there is one thing we can say for sure about Manchester City in 2017-18, it is that they will be better at full-back. Danilo, Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker have all now signed on at the Etihad Stadium, with all four of last season's incumbents in that position moving on.

Combined with new goalkeeper Ederson, Pep Guardiola will hope City can improve on a defensive record that was not as bad as often made out last season but not good enough to keep them in contention for the Premier League title.

Claudio Bravo's disastrous start played a big part in their woes, of course, and though Willy Caballero stabilised things somewhat, he is not a top-class shot-stopper.

Ederson's adjustment is unlikely to be completely smooth - even David de Gea needed time to bed in to English football - but it is hard to imagine him being worse than Bravo was, or even Bravo himself not improving on his debut campaign should he be given the opportunity.

Add a fit Vincent Kompany into the mix - and that, of course, is no certainty - and City might have something they can work with.

They have few naturally defensive players, such as a Sergio Busquets, in midfield and no one of the class - or in Kompany's case, consistency - of a Gerard Pique at centre-back, so it is hardly surprising that doubters remain.

But Guardiola has charted a path of goals and dominance of the ball above all else, and we will soon find out whether it is going to pay off.

Oliver Platt