MANCHESTER, England — The clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City has become a central aspect of elite European soccer, continuing a trend that showcases their intense rivalry. The two teams are set to face each other again in a two-legged playoff next month, looking to secure a place in the Champions League round of 16.
This early encounter marks the fourth consecutive year the clubs have met in this prestigious tournament, which speaks volumes about the significance of their matchups. Notably, the team that has emerged victorious in each of their previous meetings has gone on to claim the Champions League title. “It feels like a derby at this point, facing Madrid for four years straight,” stated City’s manager Pep Guardiola, acknowledging the heightened stakes.
Both teams are in this sudden playoff scenario after struggling with the new format of the competition. City found themselves in a tight spot, requiring a win in their last league match to secure a coveted playoff position. On the other hand, Madrid placed 11th in the rankings, with only the top eight automatically progressing to the next round.
Throughout the group stages, both clubs encountered difficulties, with Real Madrid suffering losses to Lille, AC Milan, and Liverpool, while Manchester City faced setbacks against Sporting Lisbon, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, both clubs managed to regain their form in time, leading to their current matchup, which highlights the repercussions of their earlier struggles.
Currently, Real Madrid is experiencing a successful run; they have won nine of their last 11 matches, and star player Kylian Mbappe seems to have hit his stride after joining from PSG. With 12 goals in 13 games, he forms a formidable trio alongside Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, creating one of Europe’s most dynamic attacking lines. Meanwhile, City has also seen an uptick in their performance, gradually recovering from a midseason dip, which left them with just one victory in 13 matches between October and December. Presently, they remain undefeated in their last six league encounters.
Fans will surely recall the thrilling encounters between the two in previous years, especially the dramatic semifinals of 2022. In that series, City showcased dominance in the first leg at their home ground, finishing with a 4-3 lead heading into the second leg at the Bernabeu. The second leg saw City appear to be comfortably seated for a final berth at 1-0 up and two goals ahead on aggregate until Madrid executed a remarkable comeback. Rodrygo scored twice to equalize, forcing extra time before Karim Benzema netted the decisive penalty, sending Madrid to the final, where they ultimately triumphed over Liverpool. In a twist of fate, City exacted revenge in their next semifinal face-off a year later, crushing Madrid 4-0 at home and proceeding to win the trophy against Inter Milan.
Once again, Madrid managed to outshine City in their next encounter during the quarterfinals of 2024, which ended in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu and a 1-1 draw at the Etihad. This encounter contributed to Madrid’s historic 15th European title, which they secured against Borussia Dortmund in the final, further emphasizing the evenly matched nature of their confrontations. Since 2012, this will be the seventh meeting between the two teams in the Champions League, where their competitive spirit has produced memorable moments, including Madrid’s victory in the 2016 semifinals and City’s triumph in the 2019 round of 16.
The current playoff will determine which team continues in the tournament, with the victor set to face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16.
