Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has previewed the upcoming semi-final clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City.

The Los Blancos hosts the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, and for many, this tie is the final before the final.

Rafa Benitez believes Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will have more possession of the ball.

He said: “Normally Manchester City will have possession because they have this style of football.

“And when you play against a team with much possession, you have to defend well and play on the counter attack.”

Benitez believes Real Madrid can hurt Manchester City from set-pieces and quick counter attacks.

He said: “A team that has plenty of possession normally won’t have four or five big lads. What they have is dynamic players, good on the ball. City players are good in the air but are not very big, so if you have two or three big lads, you have a chance.

“But when you are Real Madrid you also have quality to keep the ball as well as playing counter attack. You can alternate. With Vinicius, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos you can pass the ball and also press. And if you can find Benzema in between the lines or Vinicius behind defenders, you can play counter attack.”

Benitez also acknowledged that Pep Guardiola now has a secret weapon in Erling Haaland.

He admitted: “With Haaland he has someone who is capable to link play but is more dangerous when he has space in behind and can use the counter attack.

“Now they have a striker who can run behind defenders and head the ball, so they can be threat in both ways.”

Benitez concluded by saying that the 14-time Champions League winners have something that Man City do not have – the winning spirit in Europe.

“When I was coach at Real Madrid in 2015, one of the players said to me: ‘We will give our best in February [when the Champions League starts again],” says Benitez.

“They know in the domestic league they will win the majority of games but when they have to compete for the big trophies, they have to give everything. Ever since I was a kid at Real in youth teams, finishing second was a disaster. That mentality goes through all the teams.”