The last two winners of the Champions League face an early do-or-die battle in this season’s competition.
Manchester City and Real Madrid meet in Tuesday’s first-leg clash at the Etihad Stadium, both desperate to salvage underwhelming campaigns.
Pep Guardiola’s side came dangerously close to a humiliating group-stage exit. For a team that once went 22 games unbeaten in this competition, scraping into the last 16 is a sharp decline.
A 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal underlined their Premier League problems. An unconvincing 2-1 FA Cup win at third-tier Leyton Orient did little to boost confidence.
The form book suggests otherwise – City have won seven of their last 10 matches and scored in 13 straight games – but performances tell a different story.
The Etihad remains a stronghold. City have beaten Chelsea, Club Brugge, Salford City and West Ham United in 2025, scoring at least three goals each time.
A fifth straight home win would be their best run since 2023.
Real Madrid have endured their own struggles. Last season’s European champions were forced to battle their way into the knockout phase after three defeats from their first five games.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side finished strongly, beating Atalanta, Red Bull Salzburg and Brest to climb within a point of the top eight.
However, for a club of their stature, failing to secure direct passage to the last 16 is still an underachievement.
Their form since has been mixed. A 3-0 win over Brest was followed by one win, one draw and one defeat across La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
The 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday left them frustrated, with missed chances and Jan Oblak’s brilliance denying them victory.
Despite that, they remain top of La Liga and history is on their side. This is the fourth straight season they have faced City in the Champions League. They ended the English champions’ reign last year on penalties.
Both teams are in unfamiliar territory. Neither expected to be fighting just to stay in the competition at this stage, but only one of these European giants will make it through.
