Real Madrid vs Man City Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Round of 16
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Real Madrid host Man City as the two sides meet once again in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & DAZN
Real Madrid preview: Unconvincing
Real Madrid finished ninth in the league phase, and therefore narrowly missed out on automatic qualification to the round of 16, before they defeated Jose Mourinho's Benfica 3-1 on aggregate in the knockout phase play-offs.
The Spanish giants have not been firing on all cylinders lately, and have fallen four points behind Barcelona in the league table.
Man City preview: Clicking into gear
Man City skipped the knockout phase play-offs having finished one place above their opponents, and even defeated Real Madrid 1-2 in Spain on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
Pep Guardiola's men are unbeaten in their last 11 games across all competitions, winning nine of those, and are competing for trophies on four different fronts right now.
Real Madrid team news: Key absentees
Alvaro Arbeloa has stopped short of completely ruling Kylian Mbappe out of this first leg, but it would be a surprise of the Frenchman was involved as he has only just started taking part in aspects of training.
With the likes of Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo missing through injury, Los Blancos are significantly weakened right now and a lot of the attacking responsibility will fall on Vinicius Junior's shoulders.
Predicted XI (4-3-1-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; Garcia, Vinicius
Unavailable: Eder Militao (Injured), Alaba (Injured), Carreras (Injured), Ceballos (Injured), Bellingham (Injured), Rodrygo (Injured)
Questionable: Mbappe (Injured)
Man City team news: UCL Debuts for duo?
Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic have not been included in City's travelling squad, but Erling Haaland returns after sitting out the recent FA Cup victory over Newcastle.
Champions League debuts lie in wait for Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo, both of whom have impressed since their arrivals earlier this year.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O'Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Marmoush
Unavailable: Gvardiol (Injured), Lewis (Injured), Kovacic (Injured)
Questionable:
Real Madrid vs Man City prediction
This is the fifth season running that Real Madrid and Man City have squared off in the Champions League, in what is becoming an increasingly familiar rivalry in Europe's premier club competition.
Although City won their league phase encounter in December, they have been eliminated from the competition in the previous two seasons by Madrid.
City look a much more settled side right now though. The January acquisitions of Guehi and Semenyo have revitalised them, and that fresh energy could be what makes the difference in this tie.
Real Madrid have not convinced under Arbeloa, and given that they are likely to be missing Mbappe in this first leg, we think City are capable of claiming an aggregate lead in Spain.
Real Madrid vs Man City Tip: Man City to win
