Real Madrid vs Man City facts

For the second season in succession – and the third time overall – Real Madrid and Manchester City meet in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with the stage set for another epic tie.

The Spanish side have won both previous contests on their way to claiming the trophy, beating City 1-0 on aggregate in 2015/16 and edging through a spectacular tie 6-5 on aggregate after extra time 12 months ago.

Madrid are in the last four for the third season in a row; this is their third successive semi-final against English opponents. City have also reached this stage for the third consecutive campaign and fourth overall, but have only gone on to the final once, in 2021.

Madrid have beaten City's domestic rivals Liverpool and Chelsea in this season's knockout rounds, while the English side eased past German clubs Leipzig and Bayern München to get this far.

Both clubs are the reigning champions of their respective countries.

Previous meetings

The teams produced a semi-final for the ages in last season's UEFA Champions League, a thrilling first leg at the City of Manchester Stadium finishing 4-3 to Pep Guardiola's home side. Early goals from Kevin De Bruyne (2) and Gabriel Jesus (11) put City in charge, but Karim Benzema (33) halved the visitors' deficit before the break. Phil Foden (53) restored the two-goal cushion only for Vinícius Júnior (55) to pull one back almost immediately and Madrid stayed in the contest despite Bernardo Silva's 74th-minute strike, Benzema chipping in from the penalty spot with eight minutes to go after Aymeric Laporte had been penalised for handball.

That looked immaterial when Riyad Mahrez extended City's aggregate advantage 73 minutes into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, and Madrid looked to be heading out as they still trailed by two goals entering the final minute only for Rodrygo (90, 90+1) to score twice in 90 seconds and force extra time. Five minutes into the first additional period, Benzema was fouled by Rúben Dias and converted the penalty himself to send Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid through in remarkable fashion.

Guardiola's City were 2-1 winners in both legs against Zinédine Zidane's Madrid in the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League round of 16 despite falling behind in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on 26 February when Isco gave the home side a 60th-minute lead. Late goals from Jesus (78) and De Bruyne (83), the latter a penalty after Raheem Sterling had been fouled by Dani Carvajal, turned the game around, Madrid ending with ten men as captain Sergio Ramos was dismissed four minutes from time after fouling Jesus.

That was City's first victory against Madrid but they clinched their aggregate win with a second in the delayed second leg in Manchester on 7 August. Although Sterling's ninth-minute goal was levelled 19 minutes later by Benzema, Jesus secured another 2-1 victory in the 68th minute.

There was only one goal in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League semi-final between the clubs. After the first game in Manchester ended scoreless, a 20th-minute own goal from Fernando at the Santiago Bernabéu proved enough to take Zidane's Madrid into the final, where they beat Atlético on penalties, at the expense of Manuel Pellegrini's City.

The sides' only other competitive fixtures came in the 2012/13 group stage, when Madrid twice came from behind to win 3-2 in Spain on Matchday 1. City led twice through Edin Džeko (68) and Aleksandar Kolarov (85) but Madrid responded through Marcelo (76) and Benzema (87) before Cristiano Ronaldo snatched a 90th-minute victory.

It was 1-1 in Manchester, Sergio Agüero's penalty cancelling out Benzema's tenth-minute strike. Madrid ended with ten men as Álvaro Arbeloa collected a second yellow card in fouling Agüero to concede that spot kick.

Those four points helped José Mourinho's Madrid finish second in Group D, behind Borussia Dortmund; City, then managed by Roberto Mancini, ended bottom with three points having not won a game.

Form guide

Real Madrid

This is Madrid's 32nd European Cup semi-final, with the record W17 L14:
1955/56 AC Milan W 5-4 (4-2 h, 1-2 a)
1956/57 Manchester United W 5-3 (3-1 h, 2-2 a)
1957/58 Vasas W 4-2 (4-0 h, 0-2 a)
1958/59 Atlético de Madrid W 2-1 replay (2-1 h, 0-1 a)
1959/60 Barcelona W 6-2 (3-1 h, 3-1 a)
1961/62 Standard Liège W 6-0 (4-0 h, 2-0 a)
1963/64 Zürich W 8-1 (2-1 a, 6-0 h)
1965/66 Inter W 2-1 (1-0 h, 1-1 a)
1967/68 Manchester United L 3-4 (0-1 a, 3-3 h)
1972 73 Ajax L 1-3 (1-2 a, 0-1 h)
1975/76 Bayern München L 1-3 (1-1 h, 0-2 a)
1979/80 Hamburg L 3-5 (2-0 h, 1-5 a)
1980/81 Inter W 2-1 (2-0 h, 0-1 a)
1986/87 Bayern München L 2-4 (1-4 a, 1-0 h)
1987/88 PSV Eindhoven L 1-1 away goals (1-1 h, 0-0 a)
1988/89 AC Milan L 1-6 (1-1 h, 0-5 a)
1997/98 Borussia Dortmund W 2-0 (2-0 h, 0-0 a)
1999/00 Bayern München W 3-2 (2-0 h, 1-2 a)
2000/01 Bayern München L 1-3 (0-1 h, 1-2 a)
2001/02 Barcelona W 3-1 (2-0 a, 1-1 h)
2002/03 Juventus L 3-4 (2-1 h, 1-3 a)
2010/11 Barcelona L 1-3 (0-2 h, 1-1 a)
2011/12 Bayern München, L 1-3 on penalties (1-2 a, 2-1 h)
2012/13 Borussia Dortmund L 3-4 (1-4 a, 2-0 h)
2013/14 Bayern München W 5-0 (1-0 h, 4-0 a)
2014/15 Juventus L 2-3 (1-2 a, 1-1 h)
2015/16 Manchester City W 1-0 (0-0 a, 1-0 h)
2016/17 Atlético de Madrid W 4-2 (3-0 h, 1-2 a)
2017/18 Bayern München W 4-3 (2-1 a, 2-2 h)
2020/21 Chelsea L 1-3 (1-1 h, 0-2 a)
2021/22 Manchester City W 6-5 (3-4 a, 3-1 h aet)

Last season was the first time Madrid had come from behind to win a European Cup semi-final after losing the first leg, home or away. They had been eliminated on all eight previous occasions.

Madrid have won four of their last five semi-final ties, having been beaten in five of the previous six.

This is Madrid's 16th appearance in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, a competition record, four more than Barcelona and Bayern.

This is Madrid's 27th UEFA Champions League campaign, a record they share with Barcelona – and an unrivalled 26th in a row. All 27 have extended into the knockout rounds.

Madrid claimed their 14th European Cup in 2021/22. Ancelotti's side had finished first in Group D on 15 points, winning five of their six games, before dramatic knockout wins against Paris Saint-Germain (0-1 a, 3-1 h), holders Chelsea (3-1 a, 2-3 h aet) and City led to a 1-0 final defeat of Liverpool.

That made Ancelotti the first coach to win four European Cups; he had been level with Bob Paisley and Zidane on three. The Italian is also the only coach to have taken a team to five finals.

Benzema, Carvajal and Luka Modrić all equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of appearing in five UEFA Champions League final victories.

Benzema was top scorer in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League on 15 goals; ten came in the knockout rounds, equalling Ronaldo's record in 2016/17, also for Madrid.

Madrid were also Spanish champions in 2021/22, their 35th Liga title overall and a second in three years. It was only the fourth time they had won the league and the European Cup in the same season, after 1956/57, 1957/58 and 2016/17.

Ancelotti's side have already claimed European silverware this season, goals from David Alaba and Benzema earning a 2-0 victory against UEFA Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki on 10 August. It was Madrid's fifth Super Cup victory, equalling the competition record of AC Milan and Barcelona.

Madrid also won the FIFA Club World Cup for the fifth time in February, beating Al Ahly of Egypt 4-1 in the semi-final before a 5-3 defeat of Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, Vinícius Júnior and Federico Valverde both scoring twice and Benzema once.

The holders won their first three games in this season's UEFA Champions League, at Celtic (3-0) and at home to Leipzig (2-0) and Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1), but took only one point from their next two before finishing with a 5-1 home victory against the Scottish champions.

Madrid were again paired with Liverpool in the round of 16, a 5-2 first-leg win at Anfield – the first time they had scored five goals in successive UEFA Champions League matches since 1998 – preceding a 1-0 home win.

They were then reunited with Chelsea in the quarter-finals for the second year running, easing through after winning 2-0 both home and away.

The Spanish side have won 14 of their last 23 home European games (D3 L6) and 13 of the most recent 16 (D1 L2).

Benzema, who scored three times in the round of 16 against Liverpool and once in the first leg against Chelsea, has 20 goals in 27 UEFA Champions League games against English clubs, his largest tally against opposition from a single nation, including seven last season to overtake his 15 goals against German sides. His first-leg goals against Liverpool were his first of this season's competition. The Frenchman has scored 14 goals in his last ten knockout phase matches.

Benzema has equalled Lionel Messi's record of having scored in 18 consecutive seasons in the UEFA Champions League and is the first player to score in 19 successive calendar years in the competition (2005–2023).

Madrid's record against English clubs is now W24 D13 L16.

Madrid's record in two-legged knockout ties against English clubs is W13 L6. This season's wins against Liverpool and Chelsea made it eight aggregate victories in the last ten, although their last two UEFA Champions League eliminations have both been by Premier League opponents – Chelsea in the 2020/21 semi-finals and City in the 2019/20 round of 16.

Including the 2021/22 final, this is the eighth time Madrid have been paired with English opposition in their last nine UEFA Champions League knockout ties, and the sixth in a row.

The second-leg loss to Chelsea in last season's quarter-finals is one of only four Madrid have suffered at home to English clubs; their record otherwise is W12 D7, although they had managed just one win in five games against English visitors in Madrid (D2 L2) before beating City last season; they have now won the last three.

Manchester City

City's record in European Cup semi-finals is W1 L2:
2015/16 Real Madrid L 0-1 (0-0 h, 0-1 a)
2020/21 Paris Saint-Germain W 4-1 (2-1 a, 2-0 h)
2021/22 Real Madrid L 5-6 (4-3 h, 1-3 a aet)

Only eight clubs have made more UEFA Champions League semi-final appearances than City.

The Manchester club have played in two other UEFA competition semi-finals, both in the European Cup Winners' Cup. They beat Schalke in 1969/70 (0-1 a, 5-1 h) but lost to Chelsea at the same stage the following season (0-1 a, 0-1 h).

This is City's 12th UEFA Champions League campaign, all in succession; they have featured every season from 2011/12 onwards.

Including this season, the Manchester club's last ten campaigns have all stretched into the knockout rounds, their best performance coming in 2020/21 when they reached a first European Cup final only to lose 1-0 to fellow English side Chelsea in Porto.

In 2021/22, City finished first in Group A on 12 points, one ahead of Paris, having won four of their six games. They then beat Sporting CP (5-0 a, 0-0 h) and Atlético de Madrid (1-0 h, 0-0 a) but were eliminated by eventual champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

This season the Manchester club scored 11 goals in winning their first three games, sealing qualification with a goalless draw at Copenhagen on Matchday 4. They were also held 0-0 at Borussia Dortmund in their next fixture before a 3-1 home victory against Sevilla.

Guardiola's side have now finished first in their UEFA Champions League group for six successive seasons.

City drew 1-1 at Leipzig in the round of 16 first leg before a record-equalling 7-0 home win in the return, in which Erling Haaland scored five goals – only the third player to do so in the UEFA Champions League. That was City's joint biggest European victory.

Bayern were then beaten 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final, City going through thanks to a 1-1 second-leg draw in Germany.

Haaland scored in both legs against Bayern to take his tally to 12 goals in this season's UEFA Champions League, cementing his place as the competition's leading scorer.

City are level with eliminated Napoli on 26 goals as the 2022/23 competition's joint top-scoring team – one more than Madrid.

City won their fourth Premier League title in five seasons in 2021/22, the club's eighth league title overall – and sixth since 2011/12.

The Cityzens have won 15 of their last 28 away European matches (D8 L5).

City won 4-0 at Sevilla on Matchday 1 this season, only their fourth victory in their 14 visits to Spain (D2 L8). Overall, their record against Spanish clubs is W12 D5 L10, with victories in seven of their last nine matches (D1 L1).

The 2-1 victory at Real Madrid in the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg is City's only knockout win in their eight games away to a Spanish club (D2 L5).

Last season's defeat by Madrid made City's record against Spanish clubs in two-legged knockout ties W3 L5, their 2019/20 success against the Merengues having ended a run of four successive defeats. That win against Madrid was also their first aggregate victory against Liga opponents in the UEFA Champions League, having twice lost to Barcelona in the round of 16, in both 2013/14 (1-4 aggregate) and 2014/15 (1-3 agg), and Madrid in the 2015/16 semi-finals.

Links and trivia

Between 2008 and 2012, Guardiola amassed 14 trophies as Barcelona coach, including the UEFA Champions League in 2009 and 2011 – beating Madrid in the semi-finals in the latter campaign – and three successive Liga titles (2009–11). Guardiola met Madrid 15 times as Barcelona coach (W9 D4 L2) and outscored the Merengues 33-15. In his playing days, Guardiola's Liga record against Madrid was W6 D5 L3.

Guardiola's Bayern side lost 5-0 on aggregate to Ancelotti's Madrid (0-1 a, 0-4 h) in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Ancelotti replaced Guardiola as Bayern coach in 2016.

Ancelotti was Chelsea manager between 2009 and 2011, winning the 2009/10 Premier League and FA Cup double. The Italian was also in charge of Everton between 2019 and 2021. He has only beaten City twice in nine meetings – in last season's semi-final second leg and a 2-0 victory as Chelsea coach in March 2011 – losing the other seven, including five against a City side led by Guardiola.

Have played in England:
Luka Modrić (Tottenham 2008–12)
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea 2014–18)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea 2012–19)
Dani Ceballos (Arsenal 2019–21 loan)
Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea 2017–22)

Rüdiger was in the Chelsea team that beat City 1-0 in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final in Porto.

Have played in Spain:
Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club 2012–18)
Rodri (Villarreal 2016–18, Atlético Madrid 2018/19)

International team-mates:
Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior & Ederson (Brazil)
Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois & Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Nacho, Dani Carvajal, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vázquez, Dani Ceballos & Aymeric Laporte, Rodri (Spain)

Aurélien Tchouameni scored the opening goal as France beat England 2-1 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden and substitute Jack Grealish featured for England, while Kalvin Phillips and Eduardo Camavinga were unused replacements.

Modrić scored in the penalty shoot-out as Croatia knocked Brazil out of the 2022 World Cup in the quarter-finals. Vinícius Júnior, Militão and Rodrygo all featured against their Real Madrid team-mate with Ederson an unused substitute.

Julián Álvarez scored twice as Argentina beat Modrić's Croatia 3-0 in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

Tchouameni missed a penalty in the final shoot-out as Álvarez's Argentina won the trophy after a 3-3 draw. Camavinga came on as a France substitute.

Laporte played every minute as Spain reached the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2020, knocking out Modrić's Croatia in the round of 16.

A Benzema goal helped France beat a Spain side containing Rodri and Laporte 2-1 in the final of the UEFA Nations League on 10 October 2021.

Latest news

Real Madrid

Karim Benzema made his 150th appearance in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final, in the quarter-final second leg at Chelsea. He was the fifth player to reach that mark, after former Madrid team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo (183 matches) and Iker Casillas (177) plus Lionel Messi (163) and Xavi Hernández (151).

Toni Kroos made his 150th appearance in UEFA club competition at Chelsea, becoming the 16th player to reach that mark.

On Saturday, two Rodrygo goals gave Madrid a 2-1 win against Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final at Seville's Estadio de La Cartuja. It was their 20th triumph in the competition from their 40th final appearance and a first since 2013/14.

Madrid have won two of their other four games since the Matchday 10 victory at Chelsea, both victories coming at home – 2-0 against Celta Vigo on 22 April and 4-2 against Almería seven days later.

Benzema scored a first-half hat-trick against Almería and has ten goals in his last nine Madrid appearances – which includes three trebles.

The Frenchman's three goals against Almería took him on to 236 Liga strikes and into fourth place, above Hugo Sánchez (234), in the all-time scoring charts. Messi (474 goals), Ronaldo (311) and Telmo Zarra (252) make up the top three.

Benzema also scored hat-tricks in Madrid's 6-0 win at home to Valladolid on 2 April, their biggest Liga victory of the season, and the 4-0 victory at Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg three days later.

Madrid have lost their last two away games, going down 4-2 at Girona on 25 April and 2-0 at Real Sociedad on 2 May.

Vinícius Júnior has three goals and ten assists in his last ten games in all competitions, setting up Rodrygo's first goal on Saturday.

Federico Valverde has 12 goals in all competitions this season, the second highest total for a Madrid midfielder in the last decade behind James Rodríguez's 2014/15 total of 17. He has not scored for Madrid, however, since 18 February.

Madrid claimed the FIFA Club World Cup for a record-extending fifth time with a 5-3 victory against Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia on 11 February; they had beaten Egypt's Al Ahly 4-1 in the semi-finals three days earlier.

Vinícius Júnior and Valverde both scored once in the semi-final and twice in the final; 21-year-old Sergio Arribas got his first senior Madrid goal in the semi-final, just 28 seconds after coming on.

Madrid beat Valencia 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final on 11 January, losing the final 3-1 to Barcelona four days later. Benzema scored in each game.

Benzema sat out the loss at Real Sociedad with a minor injury but played 90 minutes on Saturday.

Luka Modrić came on as a late substitute in the Copa del Rey final having not played since the defeat at Girona due to a hamstring issue.

David Alaba also played 90 minutes on Saturday having not featured since being substituted at half-time in the second-leg victory at Chelsea.

Ferland Mendy returned from a hamstring injury suffered against Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey on 26 January in a 2-1 defeat at Barcelona on 19 March, coming on as a second-half substitute, but has not played since due to a calf problem.

Manchester City

City have won 15 of their last 16 games in all competitions – including the last five – the exception the 1-1 draw at Bayern in the quarter-final second leg.

City were 2-1 victors at home to Leeds on Saturday, İlkay Gündoğan scoring twice and also missing a second-half penalty.

Pep Guardiola's side won 4-1 at home to then Premier League leaders Arsenal on 26 April and took over at the top with a 2-1 win at Fulham four days later. It was the first time they had been top of the table since 18 February.

City were 3-0 winners at home to West Ham on 3 May.

Erling Haaland had scored in three successive league games before drawing a blank at the weekend. His strike against West Ham made it 35 for the season, a new Premier League record, surpassing the 34-goal totals of Andy Cole (Newcastle, 1993/94) and Alan Shearer (Blackburn, 1994/95).

Haaland's tally of 35 goals is the most in the English top flight since Ron Davies scored 37 for Southampton in 1966/67.

The Norwegian has scored in ten of his last 12 games in all competitions – 18 goals in total. His goal at Fulham was his 50th club strike of the season.

The win against West Ham made it 1,000 City goals in all competitions under Pep Guardiola, the most of any side in Europe's top five leagues since he joined in 2016, and over 200 more than any other Premier League side in the same period; Liverpool are second on 797 goals.

Guardiola's side have scored 42 goals in their last 12 fixtures.

City have won all 14 home games in all competitions in 2023, scoring 49 goals and conceding only six.

The Manchester club are also unbeaten in their last nine away matches in all competitions (W6 D3), since a run of three successive away losses between 11 January and 5 February. They have lost just four of their 23 away games this season (W12 D7); the second-leg draw at Bayern is the only one of the last six they have not won.

Haaland's penalty winner in a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on 11 March was his 28th Premier League goal of the season, beating his previous best total for a league campaign – 27 for Borussia Dortmund in 2020/21.

Twenty-two of Haaland's league goals this season have come at home with 13 away. He is only the second City player to reach double figures for goals home and away, after Sergio Agüero (13 home, 13 away) in 2014/15.

Haaland's 27th goal came in a 4-1 win at Bournemouth on 25 February, overtaking Agüero's 26-goal mark in 2014/15 as the highest tally for a City player in a single Premier League campaign.

A 1-0 loss at Tottenham on 5 February was City's fourth Premier League defeat of the season, one more than in the whole of 2021/22. They have not lost since.

Guardiola's side have 82 points after 34 Premier League games this season, one fewer than at the same stage in 2021/22.

The Cityzens beat Championship side Sheffield United 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on 22 April thanks to a Riyad Mahrez hat-trick that took City into the final for the 12th time.

City will face local rivals Manchester United in the final at Wembley on 3 June. They are looking to win the trophy for the seventh time and the first since 2019.

City were knocked out of the English League Cup by a 2-0 quarter-final loss at Southampton on 11 January. That is their only defeat by more than one goal all season.

Kevin De Bruyne, who scored twice in the 4-1 win against Arsenal, had missed two games with a minor injury before starting on Saturday.