Who will Real Madrid play next in the Champions League? Round-of-16 opponents, UCL draw
After seeing off Benfica in the playoffs, Real Madrid will continue their pursuit of a 16th European title in the UCL last 16.
Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16, after Los Blancos were paired with the Premier League club in Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
Familiar UCL foes
Chasing the 16th European title in their history, Madrid will come up against a team they have, in recent years, met with extreme regularity in the continent’s elite club competition.
Indeed, City have already visited the Bernabéu this season, goals by Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland securing a 2-1 win for Pep Guardiola’s men on matchday six of the league phase. December’s clash in the Spanish capital was the clubs’ 15th Champions League meeting since they first crossed paths in the 2012/13 group stage.
Madrid and City have met in seven of the last eight European campaigns, and have now been drawn together in the Champions League knockout phase in five consecutive seasons. Overall, teams’ head-to-head series is currently tied at five wins apiece, with five games drawn.
When is the Champions League round of 16?
- First leg: Tuesday, Mar. 10/Wednesday, Mar. 11
- Second leg: Tuesday, Mar. 17/Wednesday, Mar. 18
How did Real Madrid and Manchester City reach the round of 16?
After finishing ninth in this season’s league phase, Madrid were forced to negotiate the Champions League’s knockout-phase playoffs. Drawn against Benfica - a team that had beaten Los Merengues on matchday eight of the league phase - Madrid ousted As Águias with a 3-1 aggregate win.
After a 1-0 victory in a first leg marred by allegations of racist abuse aimed at Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, goals by Aurélien Tchouaméni and Vinícius earned Álvaro Arbeloa’s men a tie-clinching 2-1 win in Wednesday’s second leg in Spain.
Madrid face a City team that secured automatic last-16 qualification by finishing eighth in the league phase. The round’s top eight teams were given a bye through the knockout-phase playoffs.
Champions League knockout stage - the bracket in full:
Friday’s draw left Real Madrid and Manchester City on what is, in theory, the tougher side of the knockout-stage bracket. On what UEFA has dubbed the ‘silver’ side of the draw, they are joined by several European giants, including six-time continental kings Bayern Munich - who could await in the quarterfinals.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain, six-time champions Liverpool and two-time winners Chelsea are all potential semifinal opponents.
Real Madrid’s potential path to the 2025/26 UCL final:
Quarterfinals:
- Real Madrid/Manchester City vs Atalanta/Bayern Munich
Semifinals:
- PSG/Chelsea/Galatasaray/Liverpool vs Real Madrid/Manchester City/Atalanta/Bayern Munich
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