Both teams have found themselves in this playoff stage due to defensive vulnerabilities.

Looking at recent performances, Manchester City hasn’t shown significant improvement. In the FA Cup, they struggled against lower-tier Leyton Orient, needing a comeback to win 2-1, and their overall display was far from convincing. However, key players were rotated for that match, and for this fixture, City will have an almost full squad available, except for long-term absentees Rodri and Doku.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, has been forced to field a makeshift defense due to injuries, with four players in their backline who aren’t natural defenders. They are missing Lucas Vázquez, Rüdiger, Militão, Alaba, and Carvajal, leaving their defense severely weakened. This vulnerability could be exploited by Manchester City, who at least have experienced options in John Stones, Aké, and Gvardiol, compared to 21-year-old Raúl Asencio and Fran García for Madrid.

These two sides have met frequently in recent years, with the head-to-head record showing three draws, one Real Madrid win, and four victories for City in their last eight encounters.