Official Announcement: Real Madrid to Face Manchester City in Champions League Playoffs

The Champions League draw has set the stage for a thrilling tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the round of 16. Carlo Ancelotti’s side, having finished the group stage in 11th place, will travel to the Etihad Stadium for the first leg before hosting Pep Guardiola’s City at the Santiago Bernabéu for the return leg.

Challenging Path for the Whites

Real Madrid, the current European champions, had a difficult group stage. Despite a strong comeback in the second half of the group phase, losses to Lille (1-0), Milan (1-3), and Liverpool (2-0) placed them in the pre-round playoff. Their 3-0 victory over Brest wasn’t enough to secure a direct pass to the knockout stage.

Now, Madrid faces Manchester City, a team that, although not at its best during the group stage, remains a favorite for the title. The two-legged tie will begin on February 11 or 12 at the Etihad Stadium, with the return leg at the Bernabéu on February 18 or 19.

City’s Close Qualification

Manchester City barely made it out of their group, having to rally from a 0-1 deficit against Brugge to win 3-1 and advance. Guardiola’s men drew 0-0 with Inter, defeated Slovan Bratislava 4-0, and followed up with a 5-0 win over Sparta Prague. However, they suffered a 4-1 defeat against Sporting Lisbon, a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord, a 2-0 loss to Juventus, and a 4-2 defeat against PSG before overcoming Brugge.

Possible Quarterfinal Opponents: Atlético or Leverkusen

If Real Madrid manages to eliminate Manchester City, they will face another tough opponent in the quarterfinals. The draw for the next round will see Madrid either take on Atlético de Madrid (5th place in the group) or Bayer Leverkusen (6th place). This draw is set to take place on February 21.