Manchester City vs Real Madrid facts

For the fourth successive season, Manchester City and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League – this time in the knockout phase play-off first leg.

Madrid eliminated City in dramatic fashion in the 2021/22 semi-finals and last season's quarter-finals, going on to lift the trophy on each occasion. City, meanwhile, prevailed in the last four two seasons ago on their way to claiming a first European Cup.

This season, holders Madrid won their last three games on their way to finishing 11th in the inaugural league phase on 15 points; City were 22nd on 11 points, ending a run of four games without a win (D1 L3) with a 3-1 comeback victory at home to Club Brugge on Matchday 8 to seal their knockout place.

Previous meetings

Matches 12
Manchester City wins 4
Real Madrid wins 3
Draws 5
Manchester City goals 21
Real Madrid goals 18

All 12 of the teams' previous meetings have come in the Champions League.

2012/13 group stage
Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City
Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid
In the sides' first competitive fixture, Madrid twice came from behind to win in Spain on Matchday 1. City led twice through Edin Džeko and Aleksandar Kolarov but Madrid responded through Marcelo and Karim Benzema before Cristiano Ronaldo snatched a 90th-minute victory. In Manchester, Sergio Agüero's penalty cancelled out Karim Benzema's early strike, those four points helping 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.

2015/16 semi-finals
Manchester City 0-0 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City
A 20th-minute own goal from Fernando at the Santiago Bernabéu proved enough to take Zinédine Zidane's Madrid into the final, where they beat Atlético on penalties, at the expense of Manuel Pellegrini's City.

2019/20 round of 16
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City
Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid
Josep Guardiola's City were victorious in both legs against Zidane's Madrid despite falling behind to Isco's strike at the Santiago Bernabéu. Late goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, a penalty, turned the game around, Madrid ending with ten men after captain Sergio Ramos was dismissed. That was City's first victory against Madrid but they clinched their aggregate win with a second in the delayed second leg in Manchester thanks to Jesus after Sterling's early goal had been levelled by Benzema.

2021/22 semi-finals
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (aet)
Early first-leg goals from De Bruyne and Jesus put City in charge, but Benzema halved the visitors' deficit before the break. Phil Foden restored the two-goal cushion only for Vinícius Júnior to respond almost immediately and Madrid stayed in the contest despite Bernardo Silva making it 4-2, Benzema chipping in from the penalty spot with eight minutes to go.

Riyad Mahrez extended City's aggregate advantage at the Santiago Bernabéu only for Rodrygo (90, 90+1) to score twice in 90 seconds and force extra time. There, Benzema was fouled by Rúben Dias and converted the penalty to send Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid through in remarkable fashion.

2022/23 semi-finals
Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City
Manchester City 4-0 Real Madrid
In the first leg of the teams' second successive semi-final, a fine Vinícius Júnior opener was cancelled out by an equally spectacular De Bruyne equaliser. City, however, ran away with it in Manchester, Bernardo Silva's first-half double and late goals from Manuel Akanji and substitute Julián Alvarez sealing a place in the club's second European Cup final and equalling Madrid's biggest Champions League defeat.

2023/24 quarter-finals
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City
Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid (aet, 3-4 pens)
City struck first at the Santiago Bernabéu through Bernardo Silva's free-kick but Rúben Dias deflected in an Eduardo Camavinga shot and two minutes after that, Madrid were in front through Rodrygo. Spectacular long-range efforts from Phil Foden and Joško Gvardiol seemed to have extended the visitors' run of successive Champions League victories to 11 before Federico Valverde's volleyed equaliser.

In Manchester Rodrygo's 12th-minute opener was cancelled out by De Bruyne 14 minutes from time, the tie ultimately going to penalties. Luka Modrić missed Madrid's first kick but Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovačić subsequently failed from the spot for City, Antonio Rüdiger drilling in the decisive kick.

Form guide

Manchester City

Record vs Spanish clubs: W13 D9 L10 F55 A45
Home record vs Spanish clubs: W9 D4 L2

City had already faced Spanish opposition last season before taking on Madrid, beating Sevilla 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Super Cup in Piraeus.

City had won six successive home games against Spanish clubs before last season's draw with Madrid. They are unbeaten in nine (W7 D2), since a 2-1 loss against Barcelona in the 2014/15 Champions League round of 16 first leg; both of their defeats have come against Barcelona.

The second-leg loss at Madrid in the 2021/22 semi-finals is City's only defeat in their last 14 games against Spanish sides, a run that includes eight victories.

Last season's defeat against Madrid made City's record against Spanish clubs in two-legged knockout ties W4 L6.

This is City's 14th successive season in the Champions League proper; they have featured in every campaign since 2011/12 and have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12.

The Cityzens are unbeaten in 35 home European matches (W30 D5) since a 1-2 loss to Lyon on Matchday 1 in 2018/19, winning 24 of the last 28 including against Sparta Praha (5-0) and Club Brugge this season – although they have also drawn against Inter Milan (0-0) and Feyenoord (3-3), letting slip a three-goal lead in the latter.

Guardiola's side claimed a fourth successive Premier League title in 2023/24 – a new English record – but lost to neighbours Manchester United in the FA Cup final to miss out on what would have been a second successive double.

Real Madrid

Record vs English clubs: W24 D16 L18 F88 A74
Away record vs English clubs: W9 D6 L11

Madrid have already lost in England this season, going down 2-0 at Liverpool on Matchday 5.

Madrid were without an away win in five games against English clubs before a 3-1 first-leg victory at Chelsea in the 2021/22 quarter-finals but have now won three of the last seven (D1 L3).

Madrid's record in two-legged knockout ties against English clubs is now W14 L7. Wins against Liverpool and Chelsea in 2022/23 prior to losing to City and last season's success against City have made it nine aggregate victories in the last 12, although their last three Champions League eliminations have all been by Premier League opponents – Chelsea in the 2020/21 semi-finals (1-1 h, 0-2 a) and City in the 2019/20 round of 16 and 2022/23 semi-finals.

Including the 2021/22 final, this is the tenth time Madrid have been paired with English opposition in their last 14 Champions League knockout ties, and the eighth in the last 11.

Madrid claimed their record-extending 15th European Cup in 2023/24 with a 2-0 final victory against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, beating Leipzig (2-1 aggregate), City and Bayern München (4-3) having finished top of their section after winning all six group games for a record-equalling third time.

Madrid are in the Champions League proper for the 29th time in 2024/25, a competition record they share with Barcelona. They last missed out in 1996/97 and have qualified for the knockout rounds in all 29 campaigns.

The Spanish side have lost ten of their last 33 Champions League away games, winning 13, including 3-2 at Atalanta and 3-0 at Brest in the last two. They have been beaten in six of the last 18, losing at Lille (0-1) and Liverpool this season.

The Merengues claimed their second La Liga championship in three years and 36th overall in 2023/24.

Links and trivia

Between 2008 and 2012, Guardiola amassed 14 trophies as Barcelona coach, including the 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, and was also in charge of Everton between 2019 and 2021. He has only beaten City twice in 12 meetings – in the 2021/22 semi-final second leg and a 2-0 victory as Chelsea coach in March 2011 – losing eight, including six against a City side led by Guardiola.

Mateo Kovačić joined Madrid in 2015 and was an unused substitute in their Champions League final victories in 2017 and 2018 having missed out on the matchday squad for their 2016 final triumph. He did feature in their 2016 UEFA Super Cup defeat of Sevilla and was on the bench when Manchester United were beaten in the same competition a year later. Kovačić was also in Madrid's victorious squads in the 2016 and 2017 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2016/17 Spanish Liga and Super Cup.

Brahim Díaz was a City player between 2015 and January 2019, when he signed for Madrid. He scored two goals in 15 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Have also played in England:
Luka Modrić (Tottenham 2008–12)
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea 2014–18)
Dani Ceballos (Arsenal 2019–21 loan)
Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea 2017–22)
Jude Bellingham (Birmingham City 2010–19)

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

Have played in Spain:
İlkay Gündoğan (Barcelona 2023/24)
Savinho (Girona 2023/24 loan)
Rodri (Villarreal 2016–18, Atlético Madrid 2018/19)

Have played together:
Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji & Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund 2020–22)
Nathan Aké & Thibaut Courtois (2014–17)
Jérémy Doku & Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes 2020–22)

International team-mates:
Ederson, Savinho & Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku & Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
Rodri & Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Dani Ceballos, Fran García (Spain)
Mateo Kovačić, Joško Gvardiol & Luka Modrić (Croatia)
John Stones, Rico Lewis, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden & Jude Bellingham (England)

Latest news

Manchester City

On Saturday City came from behind to win 2-1 at third tier Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round, January signing Abdoukodir Khusanov levelling with his first goal for the club before a late Kevin De Bruyne strike.

A 5-1 loss at Arsenal on 2 February ended City's six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and was their heaviest away league defeat since losing 4-0 to Everton in January 2017.

That was the fourth time City had conceded four or more goals in a game this season, the most in a campaign in Pep Guardiola's managerial career.

City have conceded 54 goals in 37 games in all competitions this season, the same as in 59 matches last season.

The English champions have five wins in their last 15 Premier League matches (D3 L7).

Erling Haaland scored at Arsenal to make it 19 goals in 24 Premier League appearances in 2024/25 and six in his last six.

City have already dropped 31 points this season – their most in an entire Premier League campaign since 2019/20.

Rúben Dias played the first half on Saturday having not played since being substituted at half-time on Matchday 7 in Paris with a groin problem. He was out with a calf injury from 15 December to 19 January.

January signing Nico González was taken off injured midway through the first half of his City debut on Saturday.

Nathan Aké has a knock and has not played since 14 January.

Ederson has been sidelined for City's last two games.

Jérémy Doku has missed the last five matches with a muscle injury.

Oscar Bobb suffered a leg fracture in training on 14 August.

Rodri suffered a cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal on 22 September and underwent surgery that is expected to rule him out for the rest of the season.

Real Madrid

A Kylian Mbappé equaliser earned La Liga leaders Madrid a 1-1 draw at home to second-placed Atlético de Madrid on Saturday, the first time Carlo Ancelotti's team have failed to win successive league games this season.

Mbappé has nine goals in his last eight games, 16 in La Liga, and is Madrid's top scorer this season with 23 in all competitions.

Madrid's five-game winning run, with 20 goals scored, was ended by a 1-0 loss at Espanyol on 1 February.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have scored 36 goals in their 12 games in 2025 (W9 D1 L2). The defeat at Espanyol was the first time in 17 matches they had failed to score.

Rodrygo has ten goals in his last 14 games.

Madrid reached the Copa del Rey semi-finals with a 3-2 win at Leganés on 5 February, letting slip a two-goal lead before Gonzalo García's first senior goal secured victory in added time.

Antonio Rüdiger went off with a thigh injury early on at Espanyol and has not played since.

David Alaba, who was out between 17 December 2023 and 19 January 2025 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, was diagnosed with an adductor injury on 4 February.

Eduardo Camavinga was a late substitute on Saturday having missed six games with a hamstring injury.

Dani Carvajal (out since 5 October) and Éder Militão (9 November) are expected to miss the rest of the season with knee injuries.