AI Predicts the Outcome of Manchester City vs. Real Madrid After Both Suffer League Defeats
For the fourth straight season, Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off in the Champions League, this time in the Round of 16. A recent AI-based analysis has attempted to forecast the outcome of this highly anticipated matchup.
The first leg will take place at the Etihad Stadium on February 11, with the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on February 19. Neither team managed to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16, finishing lower than expected in the group stage standings. Real Madrid ranked 11th overall, while City barely scraped through in 22nd place, needing a comeback against Club Brugge to advance.
Historically, Madrid holds the edge in their Champions League encounters, having won three of the five knockout ties against City. The most recent battle took place last season in the quarterfinals, where Los Blancos eliminated the defending European champions on penalties, thanks to crucial saves from Andriy Lunin. Madrid then went on to defeat Bayern Munich in the semifinals before securing their 15th European title against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
AI’s Prediction: Madrid Holds the Edge
Both teams are coming into this clash after suffering domestic setbacks. Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Espanyol was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions, including a disallowed Vinícius Júnior goal and a missed red card for Espanyol’s Carlos Romero. Meanwhile, City endured a humiliating 5-1 defeat against Arsenal, falling 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool.
A study cited by The Sun has used AI to predict potential Champions League winners, giving Arsenal the highest probability (24.3%) of lifting the trophy in Munich on May 31. Liverpool follows with 18.9%, while Madrid has a 10.8% chance of securing their 16th European Cup. City’s odds are significantly lower at just 6.5%, suggesting that Real Madrid may have the upper hand in this clash.
If the AI predictions hold true, Madrid could once again eliminate Guardiola’s side, further denting City’s struggling season. While the analysis primarily focuses on title-winning probabilities, it reinforces the notion that Los Blancos might have the edge in this blockbuster tie.
