Fourteen-time European winners Real Madrid welcome Champions League holders Manchester City to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first leg of their quarter-final showdown on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos enter this contest in high spirits after winning each of their last three La Liga games to maintain their eight-point lead at the summit, including a routine 2-0 home victory over Athletic Bilbao on March 31.
Man City, meanwhile, have put together an impressive 26-game unbeaten run in all competitions, and followed up a 4-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa with a 4-2 success at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Both Real Madrid and Man City have been involved in some memorable encounters in recent history, and here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
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Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 10
Real Madrid wins: 3
Draws: 3
Manchester City wins: 4
Real Madrid have faced Man City a total of 10 times, with each of those taking place in the Champions League. To the surprise of some, the Citizens have fared slightly better across those meetings as they boast four victories compared to Real's three, while there have also been three draws.
Los Blancos won their first two home encounters with City, but have since failed to win any of their last three at the Bernabeu in 90 minutes, losing two, while the Citizens have never lost in five previous home meetings with Real, drawing their first two before winning each of their last three, scoring 10 goals in the process.
A year after making their Champions League debut, Man City were drawn in the same group as Real Madrid in the 2012-13 campaign and locked horns with the Spanish giants for the first time on matchday one in a game with plenty of late drama.
The Citizens were on course to claim a famous win at the Bernabeu when Aleksandar Kolarov's free kick, an intended cross, flew all the way in beyond Iker Casillas to put Roberto Mancini's men in front five minutes from time. However, in a frantic finale, Karim Benzema restored parity before Cristiano Ronaldo fired a shot past an unsighted Joe Hart to snatch a 3-2 victory for Real in the 90th minute.
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Benzema was on the scoresheet in the reverse fixture at the Etihad, before Sergio Aguero's second-half leveller rescued a point for City in a 1-1 draw on matchday five. However, City crashed out of Europe altogether that season after finishing bottom of the group, while Real claimed second spot en route to reaching the semi-finals.
Each of the next eight meetings between the two clubs have been in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, including their first semi-final showdown in 2016 when Zinedine Zidane's men edged past Manuel Pellegrini's side by a 1-0 aggregate scoreline.
Following a cagey 0-0 first-leg draw, neither side registered a single shot on target in the second leg at the Bernabeu, but Real came out on top thanks to a first-half own goal from Fernando and went on to win the first of three European crowns in a row under Zidane.
Four years later, City renewed acquaintances with Real, this time in the last 16 with Barcelona icon Pep Guardiola at the helm. Although six months separated both legs amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Citizens came out on top by a 4-2 aggregate scoreline, winning both legs 2-1 with Gabriel Jesus netting a goal in each game.
One of the most extraordinary two-legged clashes in Champions League history was played out between these two teams at the semi-final stage in 2022, when Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid rose off the canvas on multiple occasions to somehow snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
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Man City took a slender advantage to the Bernabeu after winning a seven-goal first-leg classic by a 4-3 scoreline at the Etihad, a contest the Citizens dominated but rued several missed opportunities. City looked on course to reach the final after Riyad Mahrez gave them a second-leg lead, but out of nowhere, Real substitute Rodrygo pulled one goal back in the 90th minute and then equalised in stoppage time, before Benzema netted a winning penalty in extra time to send City packing in heartbreaking fashion.
Real Madrid went on to win their record-extending 14th European trophy that year, beating Liverpool in the final, but Guardiola and co got their revenge in the semi-finals last season, following up a 1-1 first-leg draw in Spain with an overwhelming 4-0 second-leg triumph, demolishing the holders with a performance for the ages at the Etihad.
Bernardo Silva scored twice in a magical first-half display from the hosts, before second-half strikes from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez rubbed salt into Real's wounds and punched City's ticket to the final, where they beat Inter Milan 1-0 to celebrate football immortality and complete a historic treble.
Los Blancos striker Benzema, now at Al Ittihad, has scored more goals (six) than any other player in this fixture, while Bernardo, Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne are next on the list having registered three goals apiece for Man City.
Previous meetings
May 17, 2023: Man City 4-0 Real Madrid (Champions League semi-finals)
May 9, 2023: Real Madrid 1-1 Man City (Champions League semi-finals)
May 4, 2022: Real Madrid 3-1 Man City - a.e.t (Champions League quarter-finals)
Apr 26, 2022: Man City 4-3 Real Madrid (Champions League quarter-finals)
Aug 7, 2020: Man City 2-1 Real Madrid (Champions League last 16)
Feb 26, 2020: Real Madrid 1-2 Man City (Champions League last 16)
May 4, 2016: Real Madrid 1-0 Man City (Champions League semi-finals)
Apr 26, 2016: Man City 0-0 Real Madrid (Champions League semi-finals)
Nov 21, 2012: Man City 1-1 Real Madrid (Champions League group stage)
Sep 18, 2012: Real Madrid 3-2 Man City (Champions League group stage)
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Oliver Thomas
