Real Madrid and Man City (right) continue to settle their rivalry in the Champions League - Photo: AFP
Real Madrid's clash with Man City in the Champions League seems to have become a matter of fate.
The fateful battle
This is because it marks the fifth consecutive season, and the sixth since the 2019-2020 season, that these two giants of European football have faced each other in this competition. Real Madrid have won four times, while Man City have won twice. In the group stage (qualifying round) this season, Pep Guardiola's team inflicted a painful 2-1 defeat on Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
Entering this crucial first leg of their rematch, Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa is facing a major personnel headache. Specifically, Rodrygo, the scorer of the previous encounter, has torn his anterior cruciate ligament and will be out for the rest of the season. Even more worrying, their star player, Kylian Mbappe, is suffering from a knee injury and his participation is uncertain. With Jude Bellingham also not in top form, all hopes for Real Madrid's attack will rest on Vinicius Junior.
Conversely, Man City boasts a strong squad, especially the prolific goalscorer Erling Haaland, who has scored 56 goals in 56 Champions League matches. However, the English side will have to overcome the solid defense of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is in excellent form for Real Madrid. This match will also be historic for manager Pep Guardiola, as he will equal the record of 190 Champions League matches managed by former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
PSG seeks revenge for their defeat in the FIFA Club World Cup.
PSG fans surely haven't forgotten the humiliating 0-3 defeat against Chelsea in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final. This rematch is seen as the perfect opportunity for the French team to settle the score.
Historically, PSG have a slight edge and eliminated Chelsea in both of their most recent encounters in the round of 16. However, internal issues within the French champions are currently being questioned. Meanwhile, Chelsea travel to France with a young, energetic squad and high team spirit. Both teams' attacking lines are in excellent form. PSG have scored 12 goals in their last 5 matches, while Chelsea have scored 14. A scenario where Chelsea adopt a more defensive, counter-attacking style against PSG's possession-based approach would make the match incredibly exciting and likely result in a goalfest.
Expect surprises from Leverkusen and the Norwegian phenomenon.
Besides the two key matches, Arsenal's trip to Bayer Leverkusen's stadium also attracted attention. The "Gunners" are flying high with a record of 8 consecutive wins in the Champions League this season.
However, the "ghost" of Germany continues to haunt Arsenal, as they have lost all five of their most recent knockout matches against Bundesliga teams. Leverkusen, despite their poor performance in the Champions League round of 16, consistently perform well against English teams. In the other match, the relatively small team Bodø/Glimt (Norway) is continuing its fairytale run by reaching the Champions League round of 16 for the first time. Home advantage and a perfect head-to-head record against Portuguese representatives promise a very difficult match for Sporting Lisbon.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nong-bong-cac-tran-dai-chien-20260311105250205.htm
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