Welcome to the English MARCA live blog for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 match between Real Madrid and Manchester City. The La Liga side is looking to get rid of Erling Haaland and Josep Guardiola.
This Champions League clash marks the fifth consecutive season that these two clubs have met in the knockout stages, and history suggests that the winner often lifts the trophy, as was seen in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
The two teams have already met in the league earlier this season, with Man City winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu. Rodrygo opened the scoring for Madrid, with Erling Haaland and Nico O’Reilly converting the lead to end a tense game for the visitors.
City may receive a boost ahead of the game as Kylian Mbappé continues to recover from a left knee sprain and could miss the first leg. Real Madrid could face disadvantages even when playing in front of their enthusiastic home fans.
They have scored 28 goals in their last eight meetings at the Bernabéu, highlighting the high scoring potential in this match. For the neutral ground, the first leg promises to be a high-quality match, with both teams hoping to gain an early advantage in a draw.
Madrid come into this match having recently won 2-1 against Celta Vigo, while they eliminated Benfica by the same scoreline in their most recent Champions League match. Meanwhile, City arrived having beaten Newcastle 3-1 in the FA Cup. Their last victory in the Champions League was a 2-0 win against Galatasaray on 28 January.
Arbeloa is likely to be without Mbappé, who is still recovering but hopes to play if possible, and the availability of these key attackers will be a key factor in the outcome of the draw. Rodrigo has been sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
Madrid’s back four is almost set in stone, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s acumen at right-back being invaluable. Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asensio are likely to start at centre-back, while Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Arda Güler form a versatile midfield trio.
If Mbappe is not fit, top-flight Gonzalo Garcia could lead the line, giving Vinicius Junior the freedom to exploit the spaces and cause havoc.
City’s defense is mostly set, with Rodri and Bernardo Silva in midfield, and Antoine Semenho, Rayan Cherki and O’Reilly supporting Haaland, who is available, but Guardiola said Haaland still needs to work on improving his sharpness.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City live: Latest updates
What time is the match between Real Madrid and Manchester City?
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City is scheduled to kick off on Wednesday, March 11th at 21:00 local time (CET) at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Spain.
For U.S. fans, that translates to a 15:00 ET/12:00 PT start as two European giants square off in soccer’s most prestigious club competition.
Where can I watch Real Madrid vs Manchester City?
When it comes to TV options when watching Real Madrid vs. Manchester City, fans have no shortage of TV and streaming options.
Fans should watch on Paramount+ with additional options available through DAZN USA, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo. Spanish-language broadcasts are available on TUDN, UniMas, and VIX.
