For the fifth time since 2020, Manchester City and Real Madrid will face off in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League.
Manchester City and Real Madrid have met in the do-or-die rounds of the Champions League in each of the last three seasons, with the winner of the tie going on to lift the trophy all three times. The streak will continue this season, only this time they meet much earlier in the newly introduced playoff round with a ticket to the round of 16 on the line.
Pep Guardiola's all-conquering City side has been anything but this year. With 45 minutes to go in their final league phase game against Club Brugge, City were facing elimination before coming from behind to secure a spot in the playoff round.
As a reward, they get to face the defending champions and the team that has ended their Champions League dreams twice in the last three years. This is unquestionably one of the biggest modern-era Champions League rivalries. Although a Premier League title defense is essentially out of the window. eliminating Real Madrid from their favorite competition could potentially reinvigorate City's season.
City will host the first leg of the tie at the Etihad and will be boosted by the returning Rúben Dias and winter signings Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico González, though, the latter is doubtful for the game.
Here's how Manchester City could lineup vs. Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League playoff round.
