A dramatic 92nd-minute winner in the first leg has put Real Madrid within touching distance of another famous European triumph.
The 15-time UEFA Champions League winners now stand on the verge of eliminating Manchester City from the competition for the third time in four seasons. Despite a tough domestic run that extended to three league games without victory over the weekend, history firmly backs Los Blancos in this situation. On 37 of the 39 previous occasions where they won the first leg of a European knockout tie away from home, they progressed to the next round.
The Bernabéu remains a fortress in the Champions League, and Real Madrid have made sure to entertain their home fans over the years. They have found the net in all but one of their last 78 UCL home games, averaging an impressive 2.65 goals per match. That attacking prowess has played a key role in their strong record against English opposition on home soil. However, caution is warranted, as each of their last three UCL eliminations has come at the hands of Premier League teams.
For Manchester City, the challenge ahead is clear. Losing the first leg was yet another example of their struggles in Europe this season after taking the lead. They have now suffered three defeats in the current UCL campaign after scoring first — an unwanted record in the competition. However, they responded in emphatic fashion over the weekend, dispatching Newcastle with a dominant 4-0 victory. That momentum will need to carry into Madrid if they are to pull off a rare comeback, as City have never overturned a first-leg deficit to advance in the Champions League, failing in all four previous attempts.
Pep Guardiola faces an uphill battle on multiple fronts. The City manager is currently enduring his longest losing streak in UCL away matches, with three consecutive defeats on the road. This fixture also marks his tenth European meeting with Carlo Ancelotti, a manager he has yet to beat away from home. His record in Madrid doesn’t inspire confidence either, as his three away meetings with Ancelotti while managing City have contributed to the club’s overall struggles in Spain. Across all visits to Spanish teams in European competition, City have only won four times in 16 attempts.
One of the biggest threats to City’s hopes is Vinicius Junior, who seemed particularly fired up in the first leg, using City’s ill-conceived pre-match tifo as motivation. The Brazilian provided two assists in that game, taking his tally to ten goal contributions in his last five UCL appearances. With seven goals and three assists in that span, he is proving to be a decisive figure on the biggest stage once again.
On the other side, Erling Haaland remains City’s greatest hope of turning the tie around. The Norwegian striker made his mark in the first leg by scoring in both halves, and he is now on the cusp of history. At just 24 years and 213 days old, and with 49 goals to his name, he could become the fastest player ever to reach 50 Champions League goals, both in terms of age and appearances.
With two of Europe’s best attacking sides going head-to-head, the expectation is for another thrilling encounter. Recent history between these two suggests that goals will be plentiful, as seven of their last eight meetings have seen both teams find the net. The same number of games also featured goals in both halves, a pattern that would hardly surprise given the firepower on display.
Both teams have plenty at stake. For Real Madrid, another step toward yet another UCL triumph is on the line, while for Manchester City, the chance to keep their title defense alive remains their ultimate motivation. The stage is set for a captivating night at the Bernabéu, where history, form, and high stakes will collide in a European classic.
Advertisement
Latest Press Conference
We’re on Social Media
World Time Zones
| Europe | GMT |
 London | 20:00 |
| Edinburgh | 20:00 |
 Madrid | 21:00 |
 Lisbon | 20:00 |
 Berlin | 21:00 |
 Paris | 21:00 |
 Amsterdam | 21:00 |
 Rome | 21:00 |
 Belgrade | 21:00 |
 Sofia | 22:00 |
 Warshaw | 21:00 |
 Tirana | 21:00 |
 Istanbul | 22:00 |
 Kyiv | 22:00 |
 Moscow | 22:00 |
| North America | GMT |
 New York, New York City | 15:00 |
| Texas, Dallas | 14:00 |
| Utah, Salt Lake City | 13:00 |
| California, Santa Clara | 12:00 |
| Alaska, Anchorage | 11:00 |
 St. John’s | 17:00 |
| Halifax | 16:00 |
| Toronto | 15:00 |
| Winnipeg | 14:00 |
| Edmonton | 13:00 |
| Vancouver | 12:00 |
 Mexico City | 13:00 |
| South America | GMT |
 Sao Paulo | 16:00 |
 La Paz | 15:00 |
 Lima | 14:00 |
| Australia | GMT |
 Perth | 03:00 |
| Eucla | 03:45 |
| Darwin | 04:30 |
| Adelaide | 04:30 |
| Brisbane | 05:00 |
| Sydney | 05:00 |
| Asia | GMT |
 Mecca | 22:00 |
 Kabul | 23:30 |
 Karachi | 00:00 |
 New Dehli | 00:30 |
 Dhaka | 01:00 |
 Jakarta | 02:00 |
 Singapore | 03:00 |
 Kuala Lumpur | 03:00 |
| Africa | GMT |
 Accra | 19:00 |
 Porto Novo | 20:00 |
 Casablanca | 20:00 |
 Johannesburg | 21:00 |
 Cairo | 22:00 |
 Nairobi | 22:00 |
Where to watch Real Madrid vs Manchester City Live Stream and on Satellite TV?
beIN Sports MENA English 1 (Gbr),
SuperSport Football Plus ROA (Afr),
SuperSport Premier League (Afr),
