Madrid, City to Renew European Rivalry After UCL Draws

Real Madrid and Manchester City will meet in the Champions League knockout rounds for the fifth consecutive season after Friday’s last-16 draw set up another high-stakes chapter in their modern European rivalry.

The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu before travelling to England for the decisive return leg a week later.

The fixture has become a defining contest of the contemporary Champions League era. Since 2012, this will mark the eighth season in which the two sides have faced each other.

Last season, Madrid eliminated City in the knockout phase play-offs and again in the quarter-finals en route to lifting the trophy in 2024. They also prevailed in a dramatic semi-final in 2022, while Pep Guardiola’s side responded by winning at the same stage in 2023 on their way to their first European crown.

The clubs have already crossed paths this season. City secured a 2–1 win in Madrid during December’s league phase encounter, finishing eighth in the standings, one place ahead of Madrid. That result allowed the 2023 champions to advance directly to the last 16, while Carlo Ancelotti’s side were forced into the knockout phase play-offs, overcoming Benfica 3–1 on aggregate.

This photograph shows the UEFA Champions League Cup displayed next to a screen displaying the results of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals draw at the House of European Football in Nyon, western Switzerland, on February 27, 2026. (Photo by Harold CUNNINGHAM / AFP)

Elsewhere, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will host Chelsea in their first leg. PSG edged Monaco 5–4 on aggregate to qualify, while Chelsea advanced directly after finishing sixth in the league phase. The sides share recent history, including a 3–0 Chelsea victory in July’s Club World Cup final against last season’s European champions.

Newcastle United face Barcelona, Liverpool meet Galatasaray, Arsenal take on Bayer Leverkusen, and Tottenham Hotspur clash with Atlético Madrid. Bayern Munich will play Atalanta, while Bodø/Glimt’s reward for eliminating Inter Milan is a tie against Sporting Lisbon.

The first legs will be played on March 10 and 11, with return fixtures a week later. This season’s final will be staged at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 30 May.

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