Despite trailing twice at the Etihad last week, the reigning champions showed their trademark resilience, clawing their way back to Madrid with a hard-fought 3-2 victory. City fans took a cheeky dig at Real’s frustrations over Vinícius Júnior missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri, unveiling a banner of the Spanish midfielder kissing the trophy with the caption "Stop crying your heart out".
But by the end of the night, it was the home crowd left heartbroken. Vinícius coolly chipped the ball over an advancing Ederson before Jude Bellingham sealed a five-goal thriller, another unforgettable European comeback from the men in white.
Now just 90 minutes away from their usual spot in the last 16 where either Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen awaits, Real Madrid will be looking for comfort in the Champions League. Their domestic form has been shaky, failing to win any of their last three La Liga matches.
Their latest stumble, a 1-1 draw with Osasuna, came with more refereeing controversy. Sandwiched between Kylian Mbappé’s goal and Ante Budimir’s penalty equalizer, Bellingham was shown a red card for dissent, leaving Madrid frustrated yet again.
With Barcelona poised to overtake them at the top of La Liga if they beat Rayo Vallecano on Monday, Madrid can at least rely on their European pedigree. Of the 39 times they’ve won an away leg in a Champions League knockout tie, they’ve only failed to advance twice. On the flip side, City have never overturned a first-leg deficit in four previous attempts.
The odds might not favor Pep Guardiola’s side, but they’re coming off a dominant 4-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League—a perfect confidence boost ahead of their trip to the Bernabéu. Omar Marmoush stole the show with a stunning 33-minute hat-trick, while James McAtee added the finishing touch in a ruthless display.
City’s hopes of a fifth consecutive league title might be fading, but they remain firmly in the top-four race and are slowly rediscovering their best form. That said, last week’s match exposed some lingering vulnerabilities.
One thing they have going for them? Their attack is firing. City have scored in 15 straight matches across all competitions, including their last seven away games. However, their record on the road in Europe is concerning three straight losses, marking Guardiola’s worst-ever streak.
With everything on the line, expect another dramatic night at the Bernabéu.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Real Madrid fans will be relieved to see both Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba back in the squad after missing the first leg due to injury. Federico Valverde is also available despite looking a bit worse for wear after the Osasuna draw.Lucas Vázquez has made the squad too, but Carlo Ancelotti has already confirmed he won’t be in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal remain sidelined with long-term knee injuries.
Ancelotti will likely be cautious with Alaba, but Rüdiger’s return could be a game-changer, potentially allowing Aurélien Tchouaméni to move back into midfield. As for Jude Bellingham, his looming domestic ban potentially up to 12 games won’t affect his availability for the Champions League.
Manchester City could also get a defensive boost for the second leg. Neither Rúben Dias nor Nathan Aké played against Newcastle due to muscle tightness, but both have a shot at returning against Madrid.
Jack Grealish is working to shake off a groin issue from the first leg, though Manuel Akanji is set to miss several weeks with an abductor injury. He joins Oscar Bobb (fitness) and Rodri (ACL) on the injury list.
As for Erling Haaland, he’s fresh off scoring his 48th and 49th Champions League goals in the first leg. If he nets his 50th on Wednesday, he’ll make history as both the youngest and fastest player to hit that milestone.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Camavinga, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Gonzalez; Savinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Marmoush; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City
Sticking with our first-leg prediction (which was almost spot on until Bellingham had his moment), we expect Ancelotti’s side to do just enough to avoid defeat and secure their spot in the last 16 sending the Premier League champions crashing out far earlier than they’d hoped.
