Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Few Champions League games have been bigger or more thrilling in recent years than clashes between the mighty Real Madrid (the dominant force in European football history) and Manchester City (the club built on new money and my, haven’t they spent it well).
Neither side may be at their best right now, and quite frankly, it doesn’t matter in this competition as the extended group phase means all clubs can have a few slip-ups and still progress to the knockout stages.
Yet a meeting between these two will still quicken the pulse and, perhaps, give us a glimmer of what to expect in the second half of the season for two clubs who are strongly tipped as possible winners of the tournament.
Talking Points
Despite saying all that, the contrast between the two is pretty stark at this moment in time. In fact, right now, depending on who you believe in the media, Real Madrid’s glass is half empty.
They were booed off after Sunday’s 2-0 home La Liga defeat to Celta Vigo, and that loss reportedly led to an emergency meeting amongst the club’s hierarchy to discuss the future of manager Xabi Alonso’s future.
Never mind that had they won that contest, they would have only been a point adrift of leaders Barcelona – or that they currently sit in fifth place with four wins from five in the Champions League standings.
The fact Los Blancos have won just one of their last five La Liga matches is causing some to suggest Alonso, appointed to succeed Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, may not survive in post.
That harsh assessment is markedly different to his counterpart at City, Pep Guardiola, even though his team are in ninth place (just outside the top eight berths which guarantee a place in the last 16).
The fellow Spaniard though is comfortable as he approaches nearly a decade at the club and has also guided them to within two points of the Premier League summit.
Patience has never been a watchword at Real – not in the modern era – and the upshot of it all is that Alonso and his men could do with delivering some Champions League 2025 highlights on Wednesday to take off a bit of the unrelenting heat.
History
Even before last season’s last-16 clash, which Real won 6-3 on aggregate thanks to some Kylian Mbappe magic, these sides had been involved in some key clashes in the past decade.
None more so of course than in the semi-finals four seasons ago.
Then they took part in a first leg which will live long in the memory of neutrals as the two sides produced the joint-highest scoring ever Champions League semi-final. Somehow, though, the drama was not over.
The following week, I can still remember leaving the hotel restaurant where I was enjoying a few days’ holiday with City 1-0 up in the second leg in Madrid and 5-3 ahead on aggregate with minutes remaining. By the time I got back to the hotel room and checked the score, I could not believe what I was seeing.
The remarkable turnaround saw Rodrygo score twice – in the 90th minute and then in stoppage time – before Karim Benzema’s extra-time penalty won the day and sealed a 6-5 aggregate victory. Real went onto be crowned champions of Europe a few weeks later.
City gained revenge convincingly at the same stage a year later with a 5-1 aggregate win and finally realised their European dream a month later.
And then in the quarter-final in 2024, the sides shared six goals in another epic in Spain before a 1-1 draw in the second leg – Rodrygo and Kevin De Bruyne the scorers. Real went onto triumph 5-4 on spot-kicks after more than 220 compelling minutes.
They met in the 2016 semi-finals too, drawing 0-0 in Manchester before Fernando’s own goal at the Santiago Bernabéu took Real to the final, where they beat city rivals Atletico on penalties.
Guardiola’s men avenged that defeat in 2020, with 2-1 success away – a night when Sergio Ramos received the 26th red card of his career and City came of age in Europe – and then at home when City took advantage of Real defensive errors.
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. 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.
The return in Manchester ended one-apiece with Agüero’s penalty cancelling out Benzema’s 10th minute opener.
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.
Betting Tip
Our SBOTOP Champions League 2025 betting odds could barely be closer and Real have the edge, priced 1X2 @ 2.37 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.21. City, meanwhile, are just adrift of that, both 1X2 @ 2.50 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.29.
If you thought those options were attractive, the 1X2 Draw @ 3.57 is even more so. A re-run of their meeting in Spain last Spring will pay out @ 30.00 with Correct Score 3-0.
I think the outcome will be closer than that but I do expect Real to edge it and my tip is Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.22. Other goal bets range from Total Goal 0-1 @ 5.00, 4-6 @ 2.43 and Over 3.50 @ 2.25.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
