Does a Champions League classic await?
Manchester City v Real Madrid Preview
We explore what has the potential to be the match of the season.
A clash between two of the biggest forces in English and Spanish football is nothing new.
When Manchester City and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League, it will mark the fourth consecutive season they’ve faced off in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition.
However, this time, it’s in unfamiliar territory—the playoffs. Under the tournament’s new format, only the top eight teams in the expanded league phase secured direct passage to the last 16, and both City and Real fell short.
City scraped through in 22nd place after a comeback win at home to Club Brugge in their final group match, while Real had a rocky start, losing three of their first five games before recovering to finish 11th.
For the fourth season in a row, one of these European giants will see their Champions League run cut short by the other.
City’s performance in this playoff tie could also have wider implications, potentially affecting the Premier League’s chances of securing five Champions League spots next season—something that could work in Pep Guardiola’s favour, with his side currently sitting fifth in the league.
City's difficult season
Pep Guardiola had the opportunity to strengthen his squad after Manchester City's latest Premier League title triumph but opted against it, partly due to uncertainty over his own future.
He gave serious thought to interest from the English FA and, at one stage, was 70-30 in favour of taking over as the national team manager, with those around him assuring him it would offer a quieter life.
Ultimately, though, he placed his trust in the squad that had delivered four Premier League titles and decided he still had unfinished business at City.
By November, City were top of the table and the only unbeaten side across Europe’s top five leagues. Then, everything started to unravel.
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When Ilkay Gündogan returned in August, the plan had been for him and Bernardo Silva to feature in roughly one out of every three games. But as things stand, Gündogan is just a couple of games away from having played 50% of City’s matches—triggering an automatic contract extension.
Rodri’s cruciate ligament injury, along with setbacks for his potential replacements, Manuel Akanji and John Stones, have only added to City’s problems.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden has struggled for form, Kevin De Bruyne hasn’t quite hit his usual high standards, and Jack Grealish has yet to show the player he could be—all of which have exacerbated the team’s issues.
It’s become increasingly clear that a lack of energy is taking its toll, with the squad looking sluggish and simply going through the motions in training.
