Manchester City vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League team news and line-ups ahead of huge play-off clash | OneFootball

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'The subject is over': Pep on Vini Jr snubbing Ballon d'Or award

Manchester City host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie this evening as two of Europe’s biggest clubs collide.

Manchester City managed to sneak in to the play-offs with a 3-1 win over Club Brugge in the final match of the league phase after a difficult continental campaign. Though attempts were made to strengthen the team in the January window, Pep Guardiola’s side are still struggling domestically by their lofty standards and their manager will fear a premature exit from this competition if they fail to improve.

They take on Real Madrid in Europe for the fourth season in a row, with the Spanish side having twice knocked out the English club either side of a 4-0 thrashing by the hosts at the Etihad Stadium in 2023. Carlo Ancelotti’s men top La Liga despite some recent struggles of their own, with a dynamic forward line perhaps not quite yet delivering the cohesion and consistency they will need to go deep in Europe.

Man City and Real Madrid got what they wanted but now face new Champions League playoff problem

By now, Real Madrid and Manchester City have met so often in the Champions League that Florentino Perez and Khaldoon Al Mubarak have a distinctive relationship. Close observers have noted how the City chair can act deferentially towards the elder figure, while Perez adopts an intrigued demeanour.

It’s all rather superficial, of course. The two have been on opposite sides of one of the main divides in the modern game, and the rest of football knows how hard-line both clubs can become.

Man City and Real Madrid got what they wanted but now face Champions League problem

The world is not enough for the two superpowers, who have dominated European football for the past half-decade but still insist on trying to bend everything to their will via legal challenges

Mike Jones11 February 2025 19:10

'I think I can be decisive'

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo is drawing on previous successes against Manchester City as inspiration for tonight’s match.

He said: “I've scored goals against Man City in the past and I was very happy.

“Now, I think I can be decisive because I'm in a very good moment.

“It's going to be a special match because we're going to face one of the best teams in the world."

Mike Jones11 February 2025 18:40