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Big Match Feature: Man City v Real Madrid

football17 April 2024 09:00
By:UEFA.com
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Manchester City and Real Madrid produced a classic first leg in their Uefa Champions League quarterfinal as they meet for the return in north-west England level at 3-3.

The sides are meeting for the third season in succession in the latter stages of the Uefa Champions League – their fifth knockout tie in nine seasons – with City having struck first at the Santiago Bernabéu on 9 April through Bernardo Silva's second-minute free-kick. Ten minutes later, however, Rúben Dias deflected in an Eduardo Camavinga shot and two minutes after that, Madrid were in front through Rodrygo.

In a pulsating contest, spectacular long-range efforts from Phil Foden (66) and – with his first City goal – Joško Gvardiol (71) seemed to have extended the visitors' run of successive Champions League victories to 11 but 11 minutes from time Federico Valverde volleyed in to leave the tie in the balance ahead of the City of Manchester decider.

Madrid ousted City in dramatic fashion in the semifinals on their way to their 14th European Cup in 2021/22 but Pep Guardiola's side took their revenge at the same stage last season. A 4-0 second-leg win in Manchester – Madrid's record Champions League defeat – earned a place in the club's second final, where City overcame Inter Milan to claim the trophy for the first time.

The Spanish side have won 16 of their 19 Champions League quarterfinals – including the last 11 – but face opponents who have been victorious in their last three contests at this stage.

City finished top of Group G in this season's Champions League before beating Copenhagen 6-2 on aggregate in the round of 16. Madrid, meanwhile, also won every game in the group stage, finishing eight points clear at the top of Group C before overcoming Leipzig 3-1 on aggregate in the last 16, although a 1-1 home second-leg draw ended their run of victories.

Previous meetings
- Manchester City wins 4
- Real Madrid wins 3
- Draws 4
- Manchester City goals 20
- Real Madrid goals 17

The clubs were paired together in last season's semifinals, their second successive meeting at that stage of the Champions League. The first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu finished 1-1, a fine Vinícius Júnior 36th-minute opener for the home side cancelled out in the 67th minute by an equally spectacular Kevin De Bruyne equaliser.

City, however, ran away with it in the second leg in Manchester, Bernardo Silva's first-half double (23, 37) putting them in control before late goals from Manuel Akanji (76) and substitute Julián Álvarez (90+1), two minutes after his introduction, sealing a place in City's second European Cup final and equalling Madrid's biggest Champions League defeat.

That earned a measure of revenge for Madrid's remarkable recovery at the same stage of the 2021/22 competition. A thrilling first leg at the City of Manchester Stadium finishing 4-3 to Guardiola's home side. Early goals from De Bruyne (2) and Gabriel Jesus (11) put City in charge, but Karim Benzema (33) halved the visitors' deficit before the break. Phil Foden (53) restored the two-goal cushion only for Vinícius Júnior (55) to pull one back almost immediately and Madrid stayed in the contest despite Bernardo Silva's 74th-minute strike, Benzema chipping in from the penalty spot with eight minutes to go after Aymeric Laporte had been penalised for handball.

That looked immaterial when Riyad Mahrez extended City's aggregate advantage 73 minutes into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, and Madrid looked to be heading out as they still trailed by two goals entering the final minute only for Rodrygo (90, 90+1) to score twice in 90 seconds and force extra time. Five minutes into the first additional period, Benzema was fouled by Rúben Dias and converted the penalty himself to send Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid through in remarkable fashion.

Guardiola's City were 2-1 winners in both legs against Zinédine Zidane's Madrid in the 2019/20 Champions League round of 16 despite falling behind in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on 26 February when Isco gave the home side a 60th-minute lead. Late goals from Jesus (78) and De Bruyne (83), the latter a penalty after Raheem Sterling had been fouled by Dani Carvajal, turned the game around, Madrid ending with ten men as captain Sergio Ramos was dismissed four minutes from time after fouling Jesus.

That was City's first victory against Madrid but they clinched their aggregate win with a second in the delayed second leg in Manchester on 7 August. Although Sterling's ninth-minute goal was levelled 19 minutes later by Benzema, Jesus secured another 2-1 victory in the 68th minute.

There was only one goal in the 2015/16 Champions League semifinal between the clubs. After the first game in Manchester ended scoreless, a 20th-minute own goal from Fernando at the Santiago Bernabéu proved enough to take Zidane's Madrid into the final, where they beat Atlético on penalties, at the expense of Manuel Pellegrini's City.

The sides' only other competitive fixtures came in the 2012/13 group stage, when Madrid twice came from behind to win 3-2 in Spain on Matchday 1. City led twice through Edin Džeko (68) and Aleksandar Kolarov (85) but Madrid responded through Marcelo (76) and Benzema (87) before Cristiano Ronaldo snatched a 90th-minute victory.

It was 1-1 in Manchester, Sergio Agüero's penalty cancelling out Benzema's tenth-minute strike. Madrid ended with ten men as Álvaro Arbeloa collected a second yellow card in fouling Agüero to concede that spot kick.

Those four points helped José Mourinho's Madrid finish second in Group D, behind Borussia Dortmund; City, then managed by Roberto Mancini, ended bottom with three points having not won a game.

Form guide

Manchester City

Record v Spanish clubs: W13 D8 L10 F54 A44

Home record v Spanish clubs: W9 D3 L2

City had already faced Spanish opposition this season before this tie, beating Sevilla 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Uefa Super Cup in Piraeus.

City have won their last six home games against Spanish clubs and are unbeaten in eight (W7 D1), since a 2-1 loss against Barcelona in the 2014/15 Champions League round of 16 first leg. Their overall record at home to Liga sides is W9 D3 L2, both defeats coming against Barcelona.

The second-leg loss at Madrid in the 2021/22 semifinals is City's only defeat in their last 13 games against Spanish sides, a run that includes eight victories.

The Cityzens won their first home knockout game against Spanish visitors, defeating Athletic Club 3-0 in the 1969/70 European Cup Winners' Cup first round second leg (6-3 aggregate), but were without a victory in their next four matches (D2 L2) before beating Madrid four seasons ago; they have won all three fixtures since.

Last season's win against Madrid made City's record against Spanish clubs in two-legged knockout ties W4 L5, their 2019/20 success against the Merengues having ended a run of four successive defeats. That was also their first aggregate victory against Liga opponents in the Champions League, having twice lost to Barcelona in the round of 16, in both 2013/14 (1-4 aggregate) and 2014/15 (1-3 agg), and Madrid in the 2015/16 semifinals.

City's record in European Cup quarterfinals is W4 L3 with wins in the last three:

- 2022/23 Bayern München W 4-1 (3-0 h, 1-1 a)
- 2021/22 Atlético de Madrid W 1-0 (1-0 h, 0-0 a)
- 2020/21 Borussia Dortmund W 4-2 (2-1 h, 2-1 a)
- 2019/20 Lyon L 1-3 (n)
- 2018/19 Tottenham L 4-4 away goals (0-1 a, 4-3 h)
- 2017/18 Liverpool L 1-5 (0-3 a, 1-2 h)
- 2015/16 Paris Saint-Germain W 3-2 (2-2 a, 1-0 h)

This is City's 13th successive Champions League appearance; they have featured every season since 2011/12 and have now reached the knockout stages in each of the last 11 campaigns.

Guardiola's side have also now won their Champions League group for seven successive seasons.

City won the Champions League for the first time in 2022/23, beating Inter 1-0 in the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul thanks to a second-half goal from Rodri. They had finished top of Group G before knockout wins against Leipzig (1-1 a, 7-0 h), Bayern München (3-0 h, 1-1 a) and holders Madrid.

The final victory brought Guardiola level with Zidane and Bob Paisley with three European Cup wins as a coach in total. Only Ancelotti has more with four.

Guardiola, a winner with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, also became the sixth coach to lift the European Cup with two different clubs.

Haaland was the top scorer in the competition with 12 goals. Midfielder Rodri was selected as Player of the Season.

The Cityzens also won the Premier League and the FA Cup in 2022/23, making them England's first treble winners since Manchester United in 1998/99. They became the tenth European team to win the treble and the first since Bayern in 2020.

City have already claimed European silverware this season, beating Sevilla 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Piraeus on 16 August to win the Uefa Super Cup for the first time. The Premier League side were the 25th team to lift the trophy and the sixth from England, Guardiola becoming the first coach to triumph with three different clubs.

In this season's Champions League, City came from behind to beat Crvena zvezda 3-1 at home on Matchday 1 before winning by the same scoreline in Leipzig. They next beat Young Boys 3-1 away and 3-0 at home and then sealed first place by coming from 0-2 down at home against the German team to win 3-2.

Guardiola's side became the 13th team to win all six Champions League group games – and one of two this season, alongside Madrid – with a 3-2 victory at Crvena zvezda on Matchday 6.

City then won 3-1 at Copenhagen in the round of 16 first leg and repeated the scoreline in the home fixture.

City have scored three goals in all nine games in this season's competition – the first team to do so in the Champions League.

The Manchester club scored 14 goals without conceding at home in last season's knockout rounds and are unbeaten in 30 home European matches (W28 D2) since a 2-1 loss to Lyon on Matchday 1 in 2018/19, winning 22 of the last 23 with the exception a 0-0 draw against Sporting CP in the 2021/22 round of 16 second leg – a tie they won 5-0 on aggregate.

That 30-match run without a home defeat is an English club record in the Champions League, overtaking Arsenal's 24-game sequence from September 2004 to April 2009.

The Manchester club have not lost a European game since a 3-1 extra-time defeat at Real Madrid in the 2021/22 semifinal second leg – the 22-game unbeaten run since has surpassed West Ham's previous English record of 17. City's streak of ten successive Champions League wins was also a national record.

City have won all nine ties in Uefa competition in which they drew the away first leg, in each case winning the return fixture at home, most recently against Madrid in last season's semifinals. This is only the second time they have drawn 3-3 in the away first game, the other also against Spanish opponents Athletic Club in the 1969/70 European Cup Winners' Cup first round (3-0 h) – only City's second European tie.

City's record in three Uefa penalty shoot-outs is W3 L0:
- 4-2 v Midtjylland, 2008/09 Uefa Cup second qualifying round
- 4-3 v Aalborg, 2008/09 Uefa Cup round of 16
- 5-4 v Sevilla, 2023 Uefa Super Cup

Real Madrid

Record v English clubs: W24 D15 L17 F87 A71

Away record v English clubs: W9 D5 L10

Madrid's record in two-legged knockout ties against English clubs is now W13 L7. Wins against Liverpool and Chelsea last season prior to losing to City have made it eight aggregate victories in the last 11, although their last three Champions League eliminations have all been by Premier League opponents – Chelsea in the 2020/21 semifinals (1-1 h, 0-2 a) and City in the 2019/20 round of 16 and 2022/23 semifinals.

Including the 2021/22 final, this is the ninth time Madrid have been paired with English opposition in their last 11 Champions League knockout ties, and the seventh in the last eight.

Madrid were without an away win in five games against English clubs, a sequence that included threea defeats, before a 2-0 first-leg victory at Chelsea in the 2021/22 quarterfinals but have now won three of the last five, losing the other two.

Madrid are in the European Cup quarterfinals for the 39th time, more than any other side. Their record is W32 L6.

Madrid are making their 20th Uefa Champions League quarterfinal appearance, behind only Bayern München (22). They have won their last 11 ties at this stage of the competition.

This is Madrid's 28th Champions League campaign, a competition record they share with Barcelona. They last missed out in 1996/97.

Madrid have now qualified for the knockout rounds in all 28 campaigns and have won their section 20 times including each of the last four.

Having claimed the club's 14th European Cup – and eighth Champions League, also a competition record – in 2021/22, Ancelotti's side then finished first in their section last season, winning four of their six games (D1 L1) before beating Liverpool in the round of 16 (5-2 a, 1-0 h). That set up a second successive quarterfinal against Chelsea, Madrid winning 2-0 home and away, before going out against City.

This season, after seeing off Union Berlin on Matchday 1 with a late Jude Bellingham strike, Ancelotti's side have beaten both Napoli (3-2 a, 4-2 h) and Braga (2-1 a, 3-0 h) twice. They made it six wins from six – matching their feat in 2011/12 and 2014/15 – with a 3-2 victory at Union thanks to an 89th-minute Dani Ceballos goal.

A 1-0 win at Leipzig in the round of 16 first leg put Madrid in control of the tie, although they failed to win for the first time in this season's competition in the return, which ended 1-1.

Madrid have nevertheless lost eight of their last 27 Champions League away games, winning 11. They have been beaten in four of the last 13.

The Merengues ceded the Spanish title to Barcelona last season, finishing ten points behind their great rivals in the Liga standings.

Madrid have been held at home in the first leg of 11 previous Uefa competition ties – all in the European Cup – and have recorded only two aggregate victories, both against Manchester United, in the 1999/2000 quarterfinals (0-0 h, 3-2 a) and the 2012/13 round of 16 (1-1 h, 2-1 a). They lost on the only previous occasion they drew 3-3 at home in the first game, to Anderlecht in the 1962/63 European Cup preliminary round (0-1 a).

Madrid's record in four Uefa penalty shoot-outs is W2 L2:
- 5-6 v Crvena zvezda, 1974/75 European Cup Winners' Cup quarterfinal
- 3-1 v Juventus, 1986/87 European Cup second round
- 1-3 v Bayern München, 2011/12 Uefa Champions League semifinal
- 5-3 v Atlético de Madrid, 2015/16 Uefa Champions League final.

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