Carlo Ancelotti said Manchester City vs. Real Madrid “feels like a Clásico now” as the teams prepare to meet in the Champions League for the fourth season in a row, and backed the tie’s winner to “go far in the competition.”
In previous years, City and Madrid have met in the Champions League semifinals or quarterfinals — with Madrid emerging victorious in 2022 and 2024, and City in 2023 — but this time, they face off in the knockout phase playoff, after underwhelming European campaigns.
City go into Tuesday’s first leg at the Etihad Stadium having struggled this season — they’re fifth in the Premier League — while Madrid, despite leading LaLiga, are dealing with an injury crisis that’s seen them deprived of senior defenders Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba.
“It feels like a Clásico now, because we’ve played them now for many years,” Ancelotti said in his pre-match news conference in Manchester on Monday. “I still think City are one of the best teams in Europe. City have the best coach [Pep Guardiola] in this competition. It’s one of the most difficult games you can have … And the same goes for us, we’re competitive, despite the emergency we face.”
In 2022, Madrid beat City 6-5 on aggregate in the Champions League semifinals — winning a dramatic second leg 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, all three goals coming in added time — while in the 2024 quarterfinals, a penalty shootout was needed to separate the teams.
Madrid went on to win the Champions League on both occasions, with City triumphing after eliminating Madrid in 2023.
“It’s the most difficult rival, the most important rival, and the best manager,” Ancelotti said. “The team that goes through to the next round has the possibility to go far in the competition. In the last years, the team that won this tie, won the Champions League.”
Ancelotti said facing Guardiola’s City is “always a headache.”
“He’s a coach who always tries to bring something new to his team,” Ancelotti said. “He’s done a lot for football in terms of possession, pressing, playing out from the back. He’s an innovator. I have a lot of respect for him … It’s always a nightmare preparing for the game.”
In 2022, forward Rodrygo starred when the two teams met, scoring twice in a minute to see Madrid progress.
“I was talking two or three days to [midfielder] Fede Valverde, about the game against City,” Rodrygo said.
“I asked him if we’d ever feel that emotion again. It was the most special night of my career … Sometimes I’ve been happy playing against [City], other times not so much. I’m in good form and I can be decisive. But I try to be decisive in every game, not just against City.”
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