Real Madrid and Man City Set for Another Champions League Showdown

Real Madrid and Man City Set for Another Champions League Showdown

Defending champions Real Madrid will face Manchester City once again in the Champions League after both teams were drawn together for the knockout stage. 

The draw, which took place in Nyon on Friday, sets up another exciting battle between these two top clubs.

Neither Real nor City secured an automatic spot in the last 16, as they finished 11th and 22nd in the new league-phase standings. 

Instead, they must go through a two-legged playoff to qualify for the next round. Teams that finished between 9th and 24th place will compete in this playoff.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that Real and City face off in the knockout rounds. 

Since 2020, they have met four times, making this a growing rivalry. City avoided a potential clash with Bayern Munich, but they now have another tough challenge.

“It feels like a derby already, four years in a row facing Real Madrid,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. “But Bayern or Madrid, both were really tough. Hopefully, we can arrive in the first leg here and then at Madrid as best as possible.”

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Real Madrid and Man City Set for Another Champions League Showdown
Real Madrid and Man City Set for Another Champions League Showdown

Real Madrid’s Strong Record Against English Clubs

Real Madrid, the current Spanish league leaders, have a good record against English clubs in knockout matches. They have eliminated English teams 13 times in the past.

City, however, dominated Real Madrid last season, winning 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals on their way to securing a historic treble. But in the previous season, Real Madrid got their revenge, knocking City out on penalties after two tightly contested draws.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted the ideal scenario would have been avoiding City but remained confident. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t play them, but we weren’t able to get into the top eight and that’s OK,” he said. “Playing two more or fewer games doesn’t matter … we have the resources to deal with it.”

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Tough Road Ahead for the Winners

The winner of this blockbuster clash will not get an easy path in the next round. They will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

This year’s draw was different from previous ones, as teams from the same country can now face each other in the knockout rounds. This has led to an all-French battle between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Brest. The winner of that match will then meet either Liverpool or Barcelona.

“There will be a French team in the last 16, so we have to see the positive side,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique. “The French league is not valued enough, yet there are four French teams in the Champions League (knockouts).”

Italian Clubs Avoid Each Other

In the draw, Juventus and AC Milan managed to avoid playing against each other. Instead, Juventus will face Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, while AC Milan will take on Feyenoord. However, if they advance, they could face Inter Milan or Arsenal in the next round.

Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund will play Sporting, while Club Brugge will face Atalanta.

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Champions League Knockout Playoff Draw

  • Club Brugge vs. Atalanta
  • Sporting vs. Borussia Dortmund
  • Manchester City vs. Real Madrid
  • Celtic vs. Bayern Munich
  • Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven
  • Feyenoord vs. AC Milan
  • Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain
  • AS Monaco vs. Benfica

(Second team listed plays the second leg at home)

Key Dates

  • First leg: February 11/12
  • Second leg: February 18/19
  • Last 16 draw: February 21

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