What happened when Man City last met Real Madrid in the Champions League?

Real halted the then-defending champions City's title defence bid in a tense 120 minutes, followed by a penalty shoot-out

When Manchester City take the field at the Etihad on Wednesday against Real Madrid for the first-leg match of the UEFA Champions League 2025 Round of 16 playoffs, they will have revenge on their minds, as the last time the two sides met, it was Real who prevailed through penalties after an action-packed 120 minutes in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2024 quarterfinals. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg and were hoping to secure a place in the semifinals with a win at the Etihad. But how did the match unfold phase-wise? Take a look.

 

First half: Real strike first amid City's pressure 

In the match, Real Madrid took an early lead in the 13th minute when Rodrygo capitalised on a rebound after Ederson initially blocked his shot. City responded with relentless attacks, with Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva coming close but failing to convert. Andriy Lunin made crucial saves for Real, denying Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, as the first half ended with Real leading 1-0.

 

Second half: City's persistence pays off 

Manchester City came out firing in the second half, with Grealish and Haaland testing Lunin. The hosts piled on the pressure, but Real’s defence held firm. In the 77th minute, substitute Jérémy Doku made an immediate impact by delivering a cross that Antonio Rüdiger deflected into De Bruyne’s path, allowing the Belgian to smash home the equaliser. City nearly took the lead moments later, but De Bruyne fired over from close range. With no further goals, the match moved into extra time. 

 

Extra time: Missed chances keep the game level 

City continued their attacking momentum, with Phil Foden and Mateo Kovačić coming close. However, Real Madrid remained a threat on the counter, and Rüdiger missed a golden opportunity in the final minutes of the first extra-time period. Despite Pep Guardiola introducing fresh legs, neither team could find the breakthrough, sending the match to a penalty shoot-out.

 

Penalties: Rüdiger puts Madrid through 

In the penalty shoot-out, Julian Alvarez started proceedings for City with a perfect shot to put them ahead 1-0, before Ederson stopped Luka Modric’s shot to keep the scoreline in City’s favour. Real’s goalkeeper Lunin took matters into his own hands and stopped the next two shots by Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic, while perfect shots from Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vazquez put Real ahead 2-1. Phil Foden for City and Nacho for Real got their shots on target as the scoreline remained 3-2 in Real’s favour. City’s goalkeeper took the fifth shot and was successful in levelling the score at 3-3. However, Real’s defender Rudiger then converted the final chance to hand Real a 4-3 win on penalties, ending defending champions City’s journey in the tournament.

 

Check the full video highlights of the match here: