Man City are chasing a big deficit at the Etihad Stadium as Pep Guardiola's side welcome Real Madrid with a quarter-final Champions League spot up for grabs
Champions League football returns to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night as Manchester City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their last-16 tie.
Real Madrid arrive in Manchester with a commanding lead after a dominant 3-0 win in Spain, putting the pressure firmly on the Citizens to produce a dramatic comeback and keep their European campaign alive. Federico Valverde’s stunning first-half hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeu left City with a mountain to climb, and Pep Guardiola’s side struggled to respond after the break.
Guardiola’s tactical decisions in the first leg came under fire, with surprise selections such as starting Savinho—making only his second appearance after injury—while regulars like Phil Foden, Omar Marmoush, and Rayan Cherki were left on the bench. Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri, both in good form, were also omitted, and Guardiola deployed an unusual midfield trio of Bernardo Silva, Antoine Semenyo, and Rodri, with Nico O’Reilly filling in at left-back.
With City’s attack misfiring in recent weeks, concerns have grown. A 1-1 draw at West Ham over the weekend did little to boost confidence, as Erling Haaland’s scoring drought continued—just four goals in his last 17 games. Phil Foden and other attacking players like Jeremy Doku and Cherki have also struggled for form, while City’s earlier defensive issues have only partially improved.
This marks the fifth straight season City and Real Madrid have met in the Champions League knockout rounds, with Los Blancos winning the last two encounters. Real Madrid, under Alvaro Arbeloa, are in strong form, coming off a 4-1 La Liga victory over Elche and having won four of their last five matches in all competitions. Historically, the Spanish giants have excelled at this stage, winning 13 of their last 15 Champions League round-of-16 ties.
While City did beat Madrid 2-1 in the group stage, Real’s emphatic first-leg win has swung momentum decisively in their favor as they look to book a place in the quarter-finals.
Man City vs Real Madrid Team News
Manchester City have minimal injury worries ahead of the second leg, with only two players sidelined. Josko Gvardiol is out with a tibial fracture, and Rico Lewis misses out due to an ankle injury. However, City are boosted by the return of Mateo Kovacic, who was back on the bench against West Ham after a lengthy absence.
Erling Haaland is set to lead the line, while Matheus Nunes could come back into the starting XI at right-back. Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi are expected to partner in central defense, with Rayan Ait-Nouri likely at left-back. In midfield, Rodri may be joined by Nico O’Reilly and captain Bernardo Silva, while Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, and Rayan Cherki are in contention for attacking roles alongside Haaland.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, continue to be without Kylian Mbappe (knee) and Jude Bellingham (hamstring), both of whom missed the first leg. Rodrygo remains out with a long-term ACL injury, while Dani Ceballos and Alvaro Carreras are sidelined with calf issues. David Alaba is unavailable due to a muscle injury, Eder Militao is a doubt as he recovers, Ferland Mendy is ruled out, and Raul Asencio is also struggling with fitness, leaving Madrid with limited defensive options.