Man City vs Real Madrid: A Modern Champions League Classic
The champions of England Manchester City will take on the kings of Europe in Real Madrid for the fourth consecutive season in the Champions League. The sides face off earlier than expected this time in the play-off round, with the first leg in Manchester on Tuesday. Let's look at five ties between the clubs over the past decade that have turned the clash into European football's modern classic.
2015-16 Semi-finals: Real Madrid 1-0 Man City (aggregate)
Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City were hoping to reach their first Champions League final but a deflected Gareth Bale cross cut their bid short.
After a dull goalless first leg draw in Manchester, Welsh winger Bale's cross hit City defender Fernando and flew over Joe Hart.
City complained Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez should have been sent off late on for an ugly foul on Raheem Sterling but offered far too little as Cristiano Ronaldo's Los Blancos reached a record 14th final.
The Spanish giants, coached by Zinedine Zidane, went on to beat rivals Atletico Madrid in Milan in a repeat of the 2014 final, claiming their 11th European Cup.
2019-20 Last 16: Man City 4-2 Real Madrid
With Pep Guardiola at the helm Man City got the better of Madrid with 2-1 victories in both legs of their last 16 tie -- which were played six months apart.
The Premier League side came from behind to beat Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu in February 2020, with Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne on target after Isco broke the deadlock.
The second leg was postponed until August and played behind closed doors because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sterling and the superb Jesus struck either side of Karim Benzema's equaliser.
Guardiola's side reached the one-game final eight format in Lisbon but