City vs Real Madrid: A New Classic in the Champions League
The match between English club Manchester City and Spanish giants Real Madrid, the defending champions and the most successful club in history with 15 titles, has become a modern classic in the UEFA Champions League. However, this time, they meet in a scenario they are not used to: the playoff round, rather than the advanced stages.
The new format of the continental competition has created a new reality, with teams like Aston Villa (England), Lille (France), and Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) securing direct spots in the Round of 16. Meanwhile, powerhouse teams like Real Madrid, Milan, Juventus, and Bayern Munich are fighting for their lives in the eight-match playoff to determine who will join the top eight teams.
After finishing in 12th place, Real Madrid found themselves meeting City again, a team that was on the brink of elimination before saving themselves at the last minute and finishing 22nd, tied on points with Dinamo Zagreb (25th place), which is the first team outside the playoff.
This playoff meeting, with the first leg taking place on Tuesday in Manchester and the return leg next Wednesday in Madrid, will be the fourth encounter between the two teams in the last four seasons.
AFP takes a look at the five encounters between the two teams over the past decade, excluding their first meeting in the 2012-2013 group stage (Real won 3-2 at home and drew 1-1 away).
2015-2016 Semi-final: One Goal Decides It
Under the guidance of Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini, City hoped to reach their first-ever UEFA Champions League final. However, a cross from Welsh winger Gareth Bale accidentally found the back of the net, crushing City’s dreams. After a goalless draw in Manchester, Bale’s cross deflected off City defender Fernando and landed over goalkeeper Joe Hart.
City appealed for a red card against Real Madrid’s Lucas Vázquez late in the game for a harsh tackle on Raheem Sterling, but the appeal was rejected. Real Madrid, led by French manager Zinedine Zidane, reached their 14th final in a historic achievement. They eventually won the title by defeating Atletico Madrid in Milan, repeating their 2014 final and securing their 11th Champions League title.
