Alonso under pressure but upbeat as Real prepare for City clash

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso faces mounting pressure ahead of Wednesday's Champions League group-stage meeting against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, but the Spaniard was confident the team could turn their poor form around. Catch all the action live on SuperSport.

Sunday's 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo, in which Real were reduced to nine players after defenders Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras were sent off, left the club second in LaLiga with 36 points, four behind leaders Barcelona.

"Football can change quickly... for good or for bad," Alonso told a press conference on Tuesday. "After the Celta match, we've already drawn our conclusions.

"Now it's just City in our minds. It's the Champions League, we're at the Bernabeu. It will be different because of the energy that's created. That's what's on our minds, what's ahead of us."

Asked whether his job could be at risk if Real falter against City, Alonso remained defiant.

"When you coach Real Madrid, you have to be prepared for situations like this. We are a team, we are all united," he said.

"To reverse the disappointment, which is normal, all we're thinking about now is City."

Wednesday's clash will be the 13th meeting between the clubs in the past decade, a rivalry that has intensified as Real and City combined to claim three of the last four Champions League titles.

🎙️ @XabiAlonso 🎙️
📺 Press conference ➡️ RM Play — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 9, 2025

Real won the competition in 2022 and 2024, beating City en route to both titles, while the English side lifted their maiden Champions League trophy in 2023 after overcoming the Spanish club in the semifinals that year.

Despite a disappointing run in recent weeks, with two victories in their last seven matches across all competitions, Alonso remained optimistic.

"We're all in this together. United. Convinced that this is an opportunity. We need to have the energy to connect with the Bernabeu. If that happens, we have a chance to win," he said.

"In football, you have to adapt and learn. Some days are good, others are not," he added. "But we are making progress with every match. Good thing we have a challenge tomorrow. The best way to move forward is to face it. It's a challenge that we must rise to."

Real are fifth in the Champions League standings on 12 points, three behind leaders Arsenal. City are ninth on 10 points, chasing a top-eight finish that would secure direct qualification to the last 16.

WHAT THE STATS SAY

This will be the 15th time that Real Madrid and Manchester City have faced each other in the UEFA Champions League. Since their first meeting in the 2012-13 season, it is already the most-played fixture in the competition in this period (14 games).

Manchester City have lost their last two games against Real Madrid, suffering defeats home and away against them in last season’s play-off round. This is as many losses as they had experienced in their previous 11 games against the Spanish side combined (W4 D5 L2).

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has faced Real Madrid on 27 previous occasions, winning 48 percent of those matches (W13 D7 L7). However, Guardiola is winless in the most recent four against the Spanish side (D2 L2), and has never gone five in succession without beating them.

After only losing one of his first nine away games against Real Madrid as a manager (W6 D2), Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is winless in his last four trips to face the Spanish side (D2 L2), while conceding 10 goals across those four matches (2.5 per game).

This will be the first managerial meeting between Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City). Alonso made 79 appearances in his playing career under Guardiola (W58 D12 L9), all for Bayern Munich between August 2014 and May 2016.

Since November 2024, Manchester City have lost six of their 12 games played in the UEFA Champions League (W4 D2). Prior to this run of 12, their previous six defeats in the competition came over the course of 69 matches, between October 2018 and October 2024 (W49 D14).

Real Madrid are currently on the third-longest streak of scoring in consecutive home games in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history (38 games), behind a 44-game run by Real Madrid themselves (September 2011-October 2018) and one of 45 games by Juventus (April 1973-September 2000). The last visiting side to keep a clean sheet away to Real Madrid in this competition was CSKA Moscow in December 2018 (0-0 draw).

Kylian Mbappé has scored nine goals in five games in the UEFA Champions League this season; the joint-most by a Real Madrid player in their first five appearances in a single edition, along with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013-14 (9).

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has scored more goals in the UEFA Champions League than any other player since his debut campaign in 2019-20 (54). Indeed, two of the only three players who have netted 50+ goals in the competition in this period could both square off in this match, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé also netting 50 times since then (Robert Lewandowski being the other).

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has been directly involved in eight goals in seven games against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League (7 goals, 1 assist); only Lionel Messi has had a hand in more against the Citizens in the competition (9 in 8 appearances – 7 goals, 2 assists).