Benzema and Vinicius train with Real Madrid ahead of semi-final clash with Manchester City

Champions League holders prepare to face Premier League leaders in the first leg at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Karim Benzema train at Valdebebas Sport City on Tuesday, May 8, 2023. Real face Manchester City in a Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday. AFP

Real Madrid players training ahead of the Manchester City game. PA

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. PA

Real Madrid players including Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema during training. AFP

Real Madrid's Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Eduardo Camavinga during training. Reuters

Real Madrid's Mariano and Toni Kroos during training. Reuters

Real Madrid players at Valdebebas training ground. Getty

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti oversees Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Aurelien Tchouameni during training. PA

Real midfielder Luka Modric training with teammates. Getty

Real Madrid's Toni Kroos and Lucas Vazquez during training. Reuters

Real Madrid may be having a La Liga season to forget but the Spanish giants are still major contenders in the Champions League.

Third in the Spanish league table, a whopping 12 points behind leaders and arch rivals Barcelona, Real's hopes of retaining the title are all but over.

However, Carlo Ancelotti's side are a different animal in the Champions League, and despite their patchy domestic form, few would argue against their chances of retaining the European title - even as they prepare to face a Manchester City side in full juggernaut mode.

The most successful club in European Cup history, the record 14-time champions have made the Champions League their own in recent years, winning five of the last eight and becoming the first club to win the trophy three years in a row, between 2016 and 2018.

Real will also be buoyed by Sunday's Copa del Rey triumph, where Vinicius Junior played a starring role in the 2-1 win over Osasuna.

The Brazilian winger has been in scintillating form this season and will have a key role to play, as will captain Karim Benzema, if Real are to advance to the final.

Both players, alongside the likes of midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, took part in training inside the Bernabeu on Monday as Real put together their final preparations to face City.

Check out the photos from the training session in the gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.