Over the past seven seasons, Real Madrid and Manchester City have faced each other six times in UEFA competitions, creating one of European football’s most enthralling rivalries. While calendars change and seasons evolve, this duel remains a constant, with fans often expecting drama whenever these giants meet. Their first encounter came in the 2012–13 group stage, followed by a semi-final clash in 2015–16, but the real story began in 2019–20. Since then, “Real vs City” has written some of the most dramatic chapters in modern European football.
Here is a detailed look at the last six encounters:
| Season | Stage | Aggregate Result | Key Moments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Round of 16 | Manchester City 4–2 | First leg at the Bernabéu: Isco’s goal gave Real a 1–0 lead until 78’, then Gabriel Jesus (78’) and Kevin De Bruyne (83’ pen) turned it around for City. Second leg at Etihad mirrored the scoreline: Sterling (9’) and Jesus (68’) secured City’s win after Benzema’s equaliser (28’). |
| 2021–22 | Semi-final | Real Madrid 6–5 | First leg at Etihad: City led 4–3 after early goals from De Bruyne and Jesus; Benzema and Foden exchanged goals with Vinicius and Bernardo. Second leg saw Mahrez put City 5–3 ahead on aggregate at 72’, only for Rodrygo to score twice in the 90+’, and Benzema’s penalty sealed Real’s final berth. |
| 2022–23 | Semi-final | Manchester City 5–1 | First leg 1–1 at Bernabéu (Vinicius & De Bruyne). Second leg at Etihad was one-sided: City triumphed 4–0 with two goals from Bernardo Silva, plus Achraf Hakimi and Julián Álvarez. |
| 2023–24 | Quarter-final | Real Madrid 4–4 (Real won 4–3 on tiebreak) | First leg at Bernabéu ended 3–3 (Rodrygo, Valverde, own goal for Real; Bernardo, Foden, Gavi for City). Second leg 1–1 at Etihad, with the match eventually decided by a tiebreaker in Real’s favour. |
| 2024–25 | Play-off | Real Madrid 6–3 | First leg at Etihad: Haaland (19’) opened for City, Mbappé equalised (60’), Haaland scored again (80’), yet Real clinched a 3–2 win via Diaz (86’) and Bellingham (injury time). Second leg at Bernabéu: Mbappé hat-trick secured a 3–1 victory. |
| 2025–26 | Round of 16 | Real Madrid 3–0 (first leg) | First leg at Bernabéu: Fede Valverde scored a hat-trick, leaving City with a steep deficit to overturn in the second leg at Etihad. |
The 2019–20 round of 16 marked the beginning of a high-octane series, with City overturning a first-leg deficit to advance. Dramatic twists continued in 2021–22, when Real staged a sensational comeback in the semi-final, scoring three late goals to overturn City’s apparent dominance.
Subsequent seasons added new dimensions to the rivalry. City exacted revenge in 2022–23 with a dominant semi-final performance, while 2023–24 saw the quarter-final decided in a tense tiebreaker. The following year, 2024–25, introduced a new play-off format, yet the narrative remained familiar: Real Madrid and Manchester City delivering breathtaking football, with Mbappé and Haaland providing headline-grabbing performances.
Currently, in the 2025–26 season, Real holds a commanding 3–0 advantage after the first leg. Overturning this deficit at Etihad will be challenging, yet in this rivalry, nothing is truly impossible. History proves that wherever these teams meet—Bernabéu or Etihad—the spectacle is always guaranteed.