Real Madrid vs Manchester City head-to-head: Little to separate Champions League rivals
Another meeting this season in the round of 16 only adds to a rivalry where results, goals and knockout ties remain incredibly close.
Real Madrid have been drawn against Manchester City in the 2025-26 Champions League round of 16, meaning the two teams will face each other in the knockout stages for the fifth straight season.
The two teams already met in this season’s league phase, with Pep Guardiola’s side running out 2-1 winners at the Bernabeú.
The winner of the Madrid-City tie will take on either Atalanta or Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. The duo are on the silver side of the draw, which also contains PSG, Chelsea and Liverpool, potential opponents in the semifinals.
👀 We meet again.
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 27, 2026
🆚 @ManCity pic.twitter.com/VB6EzEDDRW
A rivalry that has grown quickly in Europe
Prior to the 2012-13 season, Real Madrid and Manchester City had never played each other. Since September 2012, however, they have met 16 times, with 11 of those meetings coming since February 2020.
The two clubs may have very different histories, with the LaLiga giants having been crowned European champions 15 times and the Sky Blues just once. But it has been nearly impossible to separate them since City joined the European elite in the 2010s.
Of the previous 16 meetings, City have won six to Madrid’s five, with five draws.
Results from recent Champions League meetings
2025-26 league phase
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City
2024-25 knockout phase playoffs, Real Madrid win 6-3 on aggregate
Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City
Manchester City 2-3 Real Madrid
2023-24 quarterfinals, Real Madrid win on penalties
Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City
2022-23 semifinals, Manchester City win 5-1 on aggregate
Manchester City 4-0 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City
2021-22 semifinals, Real Madrid win 6-5 on aggregate
Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid
2019-20 round of 16, Manchester City win 4-2 on aggregate
Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City
2015-16 semifinals, Real Madrid win 1-0 on aggregate
Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City
Manchester City 0-0 Real Madrid
2012-13 group stage
Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid
Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City
Semifinals have delivered the biggest drama
The most high-stakes matchups have come in the Champions League semifinals, where they have met three times. Madrid narrowly progressed to the final twice, while City convincingly defeated the Spaniards on the way to their only victory in the tournament in 2023.
Of the six two-legged knockout ties, Madrid have the upper hand, winning four, including one on penalties, and losing two.
Other than a 4-0 win for the Premier League club in April 2023, their meetings have been hard-fought. Twelve of the 16 games have either been drawn or decided by a single goal. Most will be expecting more of the same when they face off twice in the space of a week on March 10-11 and March 17-18.
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