Pep Guardiola’s men will need to overturn a one-goal deficit after losing 3-2 in dramatic fashion in the first leg just a week ago.
The success of this season for both teams hinges on this crucial game as a place in the round of 16 stage awaits the winner of the tie.
Real Madrid’s poor form in La Liga continued over the weekend as Los Blancos were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw after Jude Bellingham was shown a straight red card for dissent.
Manchester City, on the other hand, come into the fixture with renewed confidence after an assured 4-0 victory over top-four rivals Newcastle.
Real Madrid v Man City key info
• Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
• Kick-off time: 8:00 PM GMT
• Venue: Bernabeu, Madrid
• Referee: István Kovács (on pitch)
• TV channels: BBC Radio 5 Live (Gbr), BBC Radio (Gbr), beIN Sports MENA English 1 (Gbr), Discovery+ UK (Gbr), RTE 2 (Irl), RTE Player (Irl),TNT Sports 1 (Gbr)
• Odds: Real Madrid – 83/100 | Draw – 333/100 | Manchester City – 13/5
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid face significant challenges in terms of team availability due to injuries and suspensions.
Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba have been dealing with muscle injuries. While Carlo Ancelotti has expressed optimism about their return, Rüdiger is the more likely of the two to start, potentially replacing Raúl Asencio in defense.
Lucas Vázquez remains sidelined with a muscle issue and is unavailable for this key game.
Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, and youngster Joan Martínez are all out due to injuries and are not expected to return anytime soon.
Bellingham will be available despite being sent off in La Liga over the weekend. However, he is one of five players (alongside Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Luka Modrić, and Endrick) who are one yellow card away from missing a potential quarterfinal first leg.
Carlo Ancelotti is expected to make minimal changes from the side that secured victory in Manchester.
If Rüdiger is fit, he will likely slot into central defense alongside Tchouaméni. Fede Valverde is set to continue at right-back in place of the injured Vázquez.
Real Madrid expected lineup v Manchester City (4-3-3)
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti
Courtois; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, Mendy; Camavinga, Ceballos, Bellingham; Vinícius, Mbappé, Rodrygo.
Man City team news
Manchester City also have some fitness concerns in this must-win game. Manuel Akanji after undergoing surgery joins Rodri and Oscar Bobb on the long-terms absentees list.
Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Jack Grealish: All three players are undergoing fitness tests ahead of the match.
Their availability remains uncertain, but Guardiola will hope to have them ready given their importance to the squad.
Despite a scare during the weekend win over Newcastle United, Erling Haaland is expected to be fit. He had sparked concerns after holding his knee but avoided serious injury.
January signing Omar Marmoush, who scored a hat-trick against Newcastle, is in contention to play a key role in Madrid.
Manchester City expected lineup v Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol; Bernardo Silva, Nico; Savinho, De Bruyne, Marmoush; Haaland.
H2H record
Real Madrid and Manchester City have developed one of the most compelling rivalries in modern Champions League history, meeting frequently in high-stakes knockout rounds since their first encounter in 2012.
Ahead of the second leg of their Champions League playoff, the two teams have faced each other 13 times with Real Madrid leading the head-to-head with 5 wins compared to Manchester City’s 4.
Their most recent clash occurred in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff on February 11, where Real Madrid triumphed 3-2 after coming from behind. This match highlighted the competitive nature of their meetings, as City initially led before Madrid's late surge secured victory.
Historically, their first encounter took place during the group stage of the 2012/13 Champions League season, where Real Madrid won 3-2 at home.
Since then, they have met multiple times in knockout stages, including memorable semi-finals in 2016 and 2022. The latter saw Real Madrid pull off a remarkable comeback after trailing45.
In terms of recent form, both teams have shown resilience and skill. Manchester City achieved a dominant 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the 2023 Champions League, while Real
Madrid has had its share of dramatic comebacks against City.
As they prepare for their next encounter, both clubs will be keen to assert their dominance in this closely contested rivalry.
Odds for Real Madrid and Man City
With all to play for in the second leg, these two teams are expected to go for it right from the beginning.
There’s only room for one of these two clubs in the last 16 and unfortunately the other has to drop out.
According to bet365, the odds for a Real Madrid win are 83/100, 333/100 for a draw, and 13/5 for a Manchester City win.
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.