UEFA Champions League: Sporting or Manchester City... Which is the best draw for Real Madrid? | OneFootball

Which is the best draw for Real Madrid?

Real Madrid/@real

Real Madrid managed to avoid the Benfica trap in the UEFA Champions League playoffs. Now, two options await in the round of 16: either Sporting CP or... Manchester City.

After a 1-0 win in Portugal, Real Madrid followed up with a second victory over Benfica (2-1), thanks to goals from Aurélien Tchouameni and Vinicius Junior.

During the draw this Friday, February 27, 2026 (11am GMT), Los Blancos will be paired with either Sporting Portugal or Manchester City—two opponents of very different calibre.

Real Madrid have faced Manchester City 15 times in the Champions League, with most encounters proving tightly contested. The Spaniards have won 6 times, while the English side have claimed 5 victories. Four matches ended in a draw. This season, Pep Guardiola's men secured a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Against Sporting, there have been 6 meetings: 4 wins, 1 draw, and just 1 defeat for Real, which came in the 1994-95 UEFA Cup by a scoreline of two goals to one.

Between Sporting CP and Manchester City, the choice seems clear for Los Merengues, who have already knocked out another Portuguese side in the playoffs.