Man City fans ready for Real Madrid showdown after convincing Pep Guardiola

Manchester City are nearing the end of their 20th year at the Etihad and there may never have been a bigger game in it than their next one.

It isn't that there has been a shortage of memorable moments at the ground - the atmosphere against Hamburg in 2009 will always be a fan favourite, while the derby and QPR win in 2012 and Vincent Kompany's thunderbolt against Leicester have all been seismic for the club - but the stakes have arguably never been higher. For the first time in City's history, their fans can roar them into a European Cup final and all they have to do is beat the most famous club in world football who also happen to be the kings of this competition.

City have sort-of been here before of course; they have faced Real Madrid in the semi-finals in 2016 and 2022 but nothing was decided at home given the second leg was at the Bernabeu in both instances. Pep Guardiola's side did book their place in the 2021 final at home by beating Paris Saint-Germain, yet Covid restrictions meant that there could be no fans in attendance.

Read next: Every word from Guardiola and Kyle Walker ahead of Real Madrid

If the squad has been good enough to win the Champions League for years, it feels like the whole club has never been in a stronger position to finally get their hands on a European crown. Not only have the team and manager learned valuable lessons, but with more and more success in the Premier League more and more supporters are increasingly eager to land the trophy that has so far eluded them.

Make no mistake, there will be loud boos heard over the Champions League anthem on Wednesday night as well as chants for City as fans refuse to soften their stance towards UEFA - an organisation that has not only directly