Manchester City travel to Real Madrid this evening for the first leg of their blockbuster Champions League quarter-final, live on talkSPORT.
Pep Guardiola’s reigning European champions will meet Carlo Ancelotti for the third straight year in the knockout stages.
Last campaign, City took home a 1-1 draw in this fixture before dominating Madrid in the second leg and winning 5-1 on aggregate on their way to the title.
They will be hoping to pull off a similar feat this time around but Ancelotti’s side are out for revenge on their hunt for their 15th crown.
Real Madrid vs Man City: Familiar fixture
A Real Madrid vs Man City clash in the Champions League knockout stages has become a common theme in recent years.
In the last two campaigns, the European giants have met in the semi-finals and before that, they took on each other in the round of 16.
READ MORE ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
In 2019/20, it was City who came out on top, winning both legs 2-1 and progressing.
Then they would take part in one of the competition’s most incredible ties as Real won 6-5 on aggregate in extra-time of the semi-finals after a remarkable late comeback.
Guardiola’s men would get their revenge last year though, and now they meet yet again.
It is expected to be another barnstorming affair with their last four meetings averaging over four goals per game.
Most read in Champions League
- This match will see the two managers with the most wins in UEFA Champions League history going head-to-head, in the form of Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti (113) and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola (109). In the three seasons they’ve faced each other in the knockout stages of the competition, Ancelotti’s sides have progressed on two of those occasions (2013-14 and 2021-22), but were eliminated in the semi-finals last season.
- Real Madrid have only won one of their last six UEFA Champions League matches against Manchester City (D1 L4), while they have conceded an average of 1.7 goals per game in the competition against the Citizens (17 goals conceded in 10 games), their most against a side they have faced 5+ times.
Real Madrid vs Man City: Team news
Real Madrid XI: Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Tchouameni, Mendy, Camavinga, Kroos, Valverde, Bellingham Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo.
Subs: Kepa, Gonzalez, Militao, Garcia, Nacho, Vazquez, Ceballos, Diaz, Modric, Guler, Joselu.
Man City XI: Ortega, Akanji, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Haaland.
Subs: Carson, Ederson, Gomez, Lewis, Susoho, Nunes, Bobb, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Doku.
- Jude Bellingham has either scored (4) or assisted (4) in all six of his UEFA Champions League games for Real Madrid. The only player to do so in his first seven games for a club in the competition is Sébastien Haller, while playing for Ajax in 2021-22 (11 goals, two assists).
- Real Madrid are one of only two sides – along with current club Manchester City – that Erling Haaland has played against more than once without scoring in the UEFA Champions League (two games against each). His seven total shots and five shots on target against Real Madrid are both his most without scoring against an opponent in the competition.
Real Madrid vs Man City: What has been said?
Guardiola has admitted that he hasn’t had much time to prepare for this quarter-final due to the busy Premier League schedule.
He said: “If we were 18 points in front of second in the Premier League, I would have two eyes on Madrid. But it’s not the case.
“We’re third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible.
“So we have to win that game and after that we will have more time – not for recovery, but to prepare.
“So I have not had much time to see Real Madrid. When we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the Premier League, why should I be distracted now, when the distance is so close.”
- Manchester City are on a run of 10 consecutive wins in the UEFA Champions League, with only Bayern Munich having a longer streak in the competition (15 from September 2019-November 2020). They are also on the second longest unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League (21 matches), after Manchester United (25 from September 2007-May 2009); indeed, the last team to beat them were Real Madrid in the semi-final return leg in May 2022 (3-1 a.e.t.).
- After losing his first two meetings with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti (in the 2013-14 semi-finals of this competition, while in charge of FC Bayern München), Pep Guardiola has only lost one of his last eight games against Ancelotti across all competitions (W6 D1) – all of which have been in charge of current club Manchester City.
Real Madrid vs Man City: talkSPORT coverage
This Champions League quarter-final will be played on Tuesday, April 9.
Kick-off at the Bernabeu is scheduled for 8pm.
talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of the game.
Commentary will come from Sam Matterface and former Man City manager Stuart Pearce.
News Summary:
- Real Madrid vs Man City LIVE commentary: European giants meet in Champions League quarter-final – kick-off time, team news and talkSPORT coverage
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.