Real Madrid vs Man City LIVE commentary: European giants meet in Champions League quarter-final – kick-off time, team news and talkSPORT coverage

Manchester City travel to Real Madrid this week for the first leg of their blockbuster Champions League quarter-final, live on talkSPORT.

Pep Guardiola’s reigning European champions will meet Carlo Ancelotti for the third consecutive year in the round of 16.

Last campaign, City earned a 1-1 draw in this match before dominating Madrid in the second leg and winning 5-1 on aggregate en route to the title.

They will be hoping to achieve a similar feat this time around, but Ancelotti’s side are out for revenge in their quest for their 15th crown.

Real Madrid vs Man City: familiar match

A Champions League round of 16 clash between Real Madrid and Man City has become a common theme in recent years.

In the last two campaigns, the European giants met in the semi-finals and before that, they faced each other in the round of 16.

In 2019/20, it was City who came out on top, winning both matches 2-1 and progressing.

They would then participate in one of the most incredible confrontations of the competition as Real would win 6-5 on aggregate in extra time in the semi-finals after a remarkable late comeback.

Guardiola’s men would have gotten their revenge last year, however, and now they meet again.

It’s expected to be another thunderous affair with their last four meetings averaging over four goals per game.

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• This match will see the two managers with the most victories in the history of the UEFA Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid (113) and Pep Guardiola of Manchester City (109). In the three seasons they have faced each other in the round of 16 of the competition, Ancelotti’s sides have progressed twice (2013-14 and 2021-22), but were eliminated in the semi-finals last season.
• Real Madrid have won just one of their last six UEFA Champions League matches against Manchester City (D1 L4), while conceding an average of 1.7 goals per game in the competition against the Citizens (17 goals conceded in 10 matches), his record against a team they have faced more than 5 times.

Real Madrid vs Man City: team news

Real will still be without Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba, both suffering from long-term injuries.

But their only other concern will be the fitness of Dani Ceballos who picked up a muscle strain which forced him to miss training.

Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr will start from the start, but both are one yellow card away from a suspension.

As for City, Phil Foden was rested last time out and should be fresh to go again.

Kevin De Bruyne played against Crystal Palace, but it might be too risky to start him two games in a row.

Ederson is back fit while Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol are both injury doubts and Nathan Ake looks set to miss.

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• Jude Bellingham has scored (4) or assisted (4) in his six UEFA Champions League matches for Real Madrid. The only player to achieve this in his first seven club games in the competition is Sébastien Haller, when he played for Ajax in 2021-22 (11 goals, two assists).
• Real Madrid are one of only two teams – alongside current club Manchester City – against whom Erling Haaland has played more than once without scoring in the UEFA Champions League (two games against each). His seven shots in total and five shots on target against Real Madrid are both his most without scoring against an opponent in the competition.

Real Madrid vs Man City: What was said?

Guardiola admitted he did not have much time to prepare for this quarter-final due to the busy Premier League schedule.

He said: “If we were 18 points ahead of second in the Premier League, I would have both eyes on Madrid. But that’s not the case.

“We are third, not far from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible.

“So we have to win this game and after that we will have more time – not to recover, but to prepare.

“So I haven’t had much time to see Real Madrid. When we have been fighting for the Premier League for nine or ten months, why should I be distracted now, when the distance is so close.”

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• Manchester City are on a 10-game winning streak in the UEFA Champions League, with only Bayern Munich having a longer streak in the competition (15 from September 2019 to November 2020). They are also on the second longest unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League (21 matches), after Manchester United (25 from September 2007 to May 2009); in fact, the last team to beat them was Real Madrid in the semi-final return in May 2022 (3-1 ap.).
• After losing his first two meetings with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti (in the semi-finals of that 2013-14 competition, when he was in charge of FC Bayern München), Pep Guardiola lost only one of his last eight matches against Ancelotti, in all competitions. (6 wins, 1 draw) – all of whom have managed current club Manchester City.

Real Madrid vs Man City: talkSPORT coverage

This Champions League quarter-final will be played on Tuesday April 9.

Kick-off at the Bernabeu is scheduled for 8 p.m.

talkSPORT 2 will cover the match live.

Comments will come from Sam Matterface and former Man City manager Stuart Pearce.