Champions League round of 16 first leg: Real Madrid vs Manchester City facts

For the fifth season running, Real Madrid and Manchester City meet in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase, with the English club having already won at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2025/26 ahead of their round of 16 first leg.

Madrid were 3-1 winners against Benfica (1-0 a, 2-1 h) in the knockout phase play-offs – they finished ninth in the league phase – to qualify for the round of 16 for a record 23rd time.

City are in the round of 16 for the 12th time – all in the last 13 seasons – having finished eighth in the league phase.

Last match

City came from behind to win 2-1 at Madrid on 10 December, Rodrygo's 28th-minute opener for a home side coached by Xabi Alonso overturned by strikes from Nico O'Reilly (35) and Erling Haaland (43pen).

That was the teams' 15th meeting; each has five victories with City scoring 26 goals to Madrid's 25.

Madrid have won their last two ties against City, including in last season's knockout phase play-offs (3-2 a, 3-1 h). They were also triumphant in the 2023/24 quarter-finals (3-3 h, 1-1 a, 4-3 pens) and in the semi-finals of 2021/22 (3-4 a, 3-1 h aet) and 2015/16 (0-0 a, 1-0 h); City were victorious in the 2019/20 round of 16 (2-1 a, 2-1 h) and the 2022/23 semi-finals (1-1 a, 4-0 h).

Madrid have lost their last four games against English teams, going down 0-1 at Liverpool on Matchday 4 before the Matchday 6 defeat by City.

Elimination by Arsenal in last season's quarter-finals (0-3 a, 1-2 h) made Madrid's record in two-legged knockout ties against English clubs W15 L8. They have ten aggregate victories in the last 14, although their last four Champions League eliminations have all been by Premier League opponents.

City were without a win in five games against Liga clubs (D3 L2) before this season, when they have won 2-0 at Villarreal on Matchday 3 and in Madrid on Matchday 6.

City have lost only three of their last 18 matches against Spanish teams (W10 D5).

Last season's aggregate defeat by Madrid was City's seventh in their 11 two-legged ties involving Liga clubs.

Real Madrid

Madrid are in the Champions League proper for the 30th time, a competition record they share with Barcelona. They have qualified for the knockout rounds in all 30 campaigns.

A team coached by Carlo Ancelotti were 11th in last season's league phase (W5 L3), eventually losing 1-5 on aggregate to Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

Manchester City 

This is City's 15th successive season in the Champions League proper; they have featured in every campaign since 2011/12 and have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12.

Having finished 22nd in last season's league phase (W3 D2 L3), City lost 3-6 on aggregate to holders Madrid in the knockout phase play-offs.

Key stats

Madrid have never failed to reach the round of 16 since the stage was introduced in 2003/04. They have featured in the last 16 of the competition every season since 1996/97.

The Spanish side have won 13 of their last 15 round of 16 ties – and ten of their last 12 first legs at this stage. They beat neighbours Atlético de Madrid at this stage in 2024/25 (2-1 h, 0-1 a aet, 4-2 pens).

Madrid have won 11 of their last 13 two legged Champions League ties.

The 2-1 second-leg win against Benfica in the knockout phase play-offs was Madrid's 19th in the last 25 home Champions League matches (D3 L3).

Vinícius Júnior has scored in three of Madrid's last four Champions League games; 12 of his last 13 goals in the competition have come in the second half, including the last seven.

Kylian Mbappé has scored 13 Champions League goals in 2025/26, his best-ever tally. He has seven in seven appearances against City, including a hat-trick in Madrid's 3-1 home win in last season's knockout phase play-offs.

City won five of their eight games in this season's league phase (D1 L2).

Haaland has scored 56 goals in 56 Champions League appearances, including ten in ten against Spanish opposition.