Ronaldo and Sterling headline MCG battle

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Spanish giants Real Madrid will take on big-spending Premier League powerhouse Manchester City in the third, final and most eagerly anticipated game of the Australian edition of the International Champions Cup in Melbourne on Friday night.

The enormous Melbourne Cricket Ground is likely to be close to its 100,000-seat capacity for the clash between Rafael Benitez's Blancos, led by Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and Manuel Pellegrini's Citizens.

There was a goal-scoring City debut for Raheem Sterling, a 49 million-pound capture from Liverpool, in the 2-2 draw with Roma on Tuesday night, a match the British side went on to win 5-4 on penalties, with England goalkeeper Joe Hart saving two spot-kicks and scoring one himself.

It remains to be seen if Sterling, who was booed by some supporters before kick-off and jeered when he tripped over the ball in the first minute before answering his critics with a well-taken early strike, will start again on Friday.

Some observers believe the England international forward has designs on David Silva's playmaking role in the hole behind the City attack.

But if the brief evidence of the Spain man's first-half showing against Roma is anything to go by, Sterling will have a big job on his hands dislodging the former Valencia maestro, who, along with young Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, was the standout performer on either team in mid-week.

Madrid meanwhile started with Cristiano Ronaldo in a wide role and Gareth Bale at No.10 behind Jese Rodriguez in their 0-0 with the Serie A side last Saturday. A lively, end-to-end start to that game soon gave way to a lifeless contest settled on penalties in Roma's favour.

Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos could be due to start this one in place of Jese and Asier Illarramendi respectively, while Isco may also get the nod if Bale reverts to the wing.

City will be without Vincent Kompany after the club captain and centre-back returned to the UK to attend the birth of his third child.

Madrid's own central defender and captaincy candidate Sergio Ramos is with the squad in Australia but remains the subject of considerable scrutiny after reportedly falling out with the club's hierarchy earlier in the off-season and seemingly courting a move to Manchester United. 

Club president Florentino Perez is believed to be set for crunch talks with Ramos when Madrid's pre-season tour shifts to China next week.

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