Manchester City return to the Champions League tonight when they face Real Madrid in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

Manchester City turn their attention to the Champions League tonight when they face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. City have already faced Los Blancos this season and won 2-1 thanks to Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland’s goals.

City will hope to secure a positive result tonight before returning to the Etihad Stadium next week. The Blues made changes on Saturday night with this game in mind, so we can expect plenty of alterations in Madrid.

Gianluigi Donnarumma will return ahead of James Trafford while Marc Guehi should make his Champions League debut alongside Ruben Dias. Matheus Nunes did feature at St James’ Park but should retain his spot having made the right-back position his own. Rayan Ait-Nouri is also likely to return despite Nathan Ake’s solid performance at Newcastle.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Having avoided a ban on Monday, Rodri will start in defensive midfield. In front of him is where difficult decisions need to be made. Antoine Semenyo has been in brilliant form and should also make his Champions League debut.

Captain Bernardo Silva will return to the starting XI. Nico O’Reilly should be given the nod, despite a quiet game against Newcastle. Starting against the Magpies shouldn’t deter Guardiola from picking him.

Buy Carabao Cup Final VIP tickets

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

From £1,399

Seat Unique

Buy tickets here

The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

Savinho played well at Newcastle, as did City’s hero in the north east, Omar Marmoush. Rayan Cherki has been singled out for praise recently, too. But Jeremy Doku could be favoured. The Belgian offers City speed and directness – two qualities needed if they want to catch Real on the counter.

Leading the line will be Haaland. Marmoush will feel hard done by, but the Norwegian was rested so he could come back for this game. There is no way he does not start if fit.

City predicted XI vs Real Madrid: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri; Semenyo, Bernardo, O’Reilly, Doku; Haaland

Marcus Rashford is at St. James’ Park for Barcelona’s Champions League meeting against Newcastle United, but he also reunited with a former Manchester United team-mate

Marcus Rashford had a pleasant reunion with former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney. The Red’s academy graduate went out of his way to greet United’s record goal scorer at St. James’ Park.

Rashford, 28, was named on the bench by Barcelona, who are pondering signing him permanently, for their away clash against Newcastle United in the Champions League. The England international scored twice against the Magpies earlier in the season, but he will only be looking ahead to the crucial Champions League round of 16 tie.

However, while he would have been focussed coming into the home of the Toon, Rashford found time for a brief reunion with Rooney and ex-England colleague Daniel Sturridge.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

The former United colleagues shared a short but sweet exchange pitchside at St. James’ Park. They had a hug and shared a brief laugh, before the Barcelona ace started walking to his changing room.

Their reunion comes nearly five months after Rooney criticised Rashford’s performances at Old Trafford. Early into his loan move at the Nou Camp, Rashford suggested his struggles at United were down to an “inconsistent environment”.

Rooney was not convinced by Rashford’s reasoning and stated the England international could have worked harder while he was at Old Trafford.

Speaking on his podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, the ex-United skipper said: “I think the environment hasn’t been right but that is down to yourself. If you are not playing well or you get left out of the team then I think it is easier to blame the environment and whether that is right or wrong.

“I think that comes from how you apply yourself. In games we have seen with him where we know he can do more, we know he can run more – that is nothing to do with an environment.

“I might be wrong here, I really like Marcus as a lad and as a person but I think that is an easy one to throw at people.”

Before his loan move to Barcelona, Rashford was frozen out of the United squad by former manager Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese boss loaned the forward to Aston Villa in January 2025, before signing off on a temporary move to Catalunya.

There’s a possibility Barcelona will look to make Rashford’s loan switch permanent when the season comes to an end. The Blaugrana have an option to sign him permanently for £26million, as per a clause in their loan agreement with United.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.

Manchester City were drawn against Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after beating Newcastle United 3-1 in the fifth round on Saturday night

Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool is unlikely to be staged in the traditional showpiece slot of 4pm on Sunday due to the Champions League. The fixture between the two Premier League heavyweights stands out as the headline tie as the remaining eight sides compete to reach Wembley.

Nevertheless, both clubs’ potential involvement in the Champions League may limit when the match can be scheduled. The quarter-final is set for the weekend of 4 April, with the date and kick-off time still to be determined.

However, the Champions League quarter-finals will commence just days afterwards. Should either City or Liverpool progress through their round of 16 ties, then it will have an impact.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

City head to face Real Madrid in their first leg on Wednesday night, before the return leg next Tuesday (17 March).

Liverpool, meanwhile, head to Turkey to face Galatasaray tonight (5.45pm kick-off), with the second leg taking place next Wednesday (18 March) at Anfield.

In the previous FA Cup round, TV slots varied from Friday night, three matches on a Saturday, two fixtures on the Sunday and one on Monday night.

If they stay similar, then it’s probable City vs Liverpool will be staged in one of the slots on either Friday or Saturday.

City secured their spot in the quarter-final with a 3-1 away victory over Newcastle on Saturday night. 24 hours before, Liverpool became the first side to guarantee their place in the last eight with a 3-1 away triumph over Wolves.

The remaining quarter-finals will feature Chelsea versus League One outfit Port Vale, Championship side Southampton welcoming Arsenal, and the all-Premier League clash between West Ham and Leeds.

The fixture scheduling issue could similarly affect both Chelsea and Arsenal, should they progress through their own Champions League knockout ties.

Chelsea travel to PSG on Wednesday night, whilst Arsenal are also on the road against Bayer Leverkusen, with the crucial second legs scheduled for next Tuesday.

Should all four English sides advance through their fixtures, that could leave broadcasters with little option but to place West Ham versus Leeds United in the Sunday 4pm slot.

Watch the FA Cup on TNT Sports

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£30.99

TNT Sports

Get TNT Sports here

TNT Sports broadcasts select FA Cup fixtures and fans can tune in on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel. A monthly subscription also includes select Champions League, Europa League and Premier League games.

Manchester City take on Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16 and the Spaniards have several big names at risk of suspension

Manchester City resume their Champions League campaign tonight with a trip to Real Madrid.

The Blues make the trip to the Spanish capital buoyed by a weekend win at Newcastle United in the FA Cup which moved them into the quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola’s side are still competing on four fronts and will start as favourites against a Madrid side that had to come through the play-off round to reach the last-16.

City are nearing a full-strength squad and expect to have Erling Haaland available for Wednesday’s clash. Josko Gvardiol is a long-term absentee while Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis remain sidelined. But other than that, the Blues have plenty of options with Guardiola making ten changes for the win at Newcastle.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

City’s March fixture list is a hectic one across four competitions with a Premier League trip to West Ham on Saturday to come before Madrid visit the Etihad next Tuesday for the return.

City could be without two stars for that second leg with Nico O’Reilly and Savinho one yellow card away from a ban. But it’s Madrid who have more to worry about with a host of players at risk of missing the trip to Manchester, including some big names.

Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Dean Huijsen and Aurelien Tchouameni are all one yellow card from picking up a suspension. Alvaro Carreras has already picked up four bookings in Europe this season and one more will see him banned.

Find the best flights and hotels for Champions League games

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Booking.com

See the deals here

Booking.com provides countless deals on flights and accommodation across Europe so Man City fans can follow the team on their Champions League campaign.

Champions League regulations say that any player who accumulates three yellow cards – or any subsequent odd number of bookings – from the league stage onwards is suspended for the next match. An amnesty only comes into effect upon completion of the quarter-finals when all yellow card totals are wiped.

Six Premier League teams feature in the Champions League Round of 16 this week, with matches on TNT Sports and one fixture streaming free on Amazon Prime Video

The UEFA Champions League has reached the knockout stages, with 16 teams remaining in the competition. Six Premier League clubs are still competing, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal finished top of the League Phase, three points ahead of Bayern Munich in second place. Tottenham face an intriguing campaign as they battle domestically, sitting just one point above the drop zone in the Premier League.

Newcastle were the sole English side required to navigate the play-off round, and they did so in spectacular fashion. Eddie Howe’s squad thrashed Qarabag 9-3 across both legs to secure their progression.

The vast majority of Round of 16 fixtures will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+, including Galatasaray vs Liverpool and Atlético Madrid vs Spurs on Tuesday, followed by Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal, Real Madrid vs Man City and PSG vs Chelsea on Wednesday. Supporters can access these matches through a £30.99 monthly rolling subscription via the discovery+ app or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.

Amazon’s Prime Video has secured exclusive broadcasting rights to Tuesday’s headline fixture, with Newcastle vs Barcelona selected for this week. This allows fans to watch the match at no extra cost with an Amazon Prime membership or through a 30-day free trial.

Watch Champions League on Prime Video

£5.99

Free 30-day trial

Amazon

Buy Now on Amazon

Watch Champions League on Prime Video, which has a 30-day free trial available for newcomers.

Here’s the complete TV schedule for the Champions League Round of 16:.

Tuesday, March 10

• 5.45pm – Galatasaray vs Liverpool, TNT Sports 1.
• 8pm – Atalanta vs Bayern Munich, TNT Sports 2.
• 8pm – Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur, TNT Sports 3.
• 8pm – Newcastle United vs Barcelona, Prime Video.

Wednesday, March 11

• 5.45pm – Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal, TNT Sports 3.
• 8pm – Real Madrid vs Manchester City, TNT Sports 1.
• 8pm – PSG vs Chelsea, TNT Sports 2.
• 8pm – Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP, TNT Sports 4.

Manchester United suffered their first defeat since Michael Carrick returned to the dugout against Newcastle and there is a familiar pattern emerging.

Michael Carrick cut an unimpressed figure as he acknowledged Manchester United’s away supporters before heading down the Newcastle tunnel. The Reds have had little reason to moan since Carrick returned but last night was underwhelming. The momentum was with United after equalising late in the first half, but they struggled against ten men.

Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee forced saves from Aaron Ramsdale, ultimately setting United up for the suckerpunch. William Osula’s curling effort was spectacular but the defending from Tyrell Malacia was poor.

It would be unfair to single Malacia out further because none of his teammates did much better. He was forced on due to Noussair Mazraoui’s injury. The Morocco international started because Diogo Dalot struggled in the victory over Crystal Palace. Dalot replaced Luke Shaw midway through the second half, meaning Malacia’s introduction was inevitable.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

While few can criticise the performances of United’s starters in recent weeks, the depth of this squad has been an issue throughout the season, particularly when the Reds have played two matches in quick succession. The Grimsby debacle came just three days after a draw at Fulham.

Draws against strugglers Wolves, Leeds and Burnley have all come when United have had less than a week to prepare, and they’ve struggled to pick up wins this season when faced with a tight turnaround between games.

United’s lack of depth is a huge factor and a problem given their ambitions. Should United qualify for the Champions League, they will be forced to add at least an extra eight matches to their schedule.

The Reds’ current squad is not capable of handling this workload. United’s bench featured just three players – Ayden Heaven, Dalot and Amad – who could be used in rotation next season.

The remaining players were those likely to leave – Zirkzee, Altay Bayindir, Malacia and Manuel Ugarte – or youngsters still learning their trade – Godwill Kukonki and Tyler Fletcher. United will not be content with simply being in Europe next season. They will be expected to be competitive in the Champions League or try to win the Europa League. And that is why Sir Jim Ratcliffe must take note.

United have a huge job on their hands to rebuild this squad. We already know the midfield will look unrecognisable after Casemiro leaves but almost every area of the pitch will need new signings.

A back-up for Senne Lammens, two midfielders, a left winger and at least one other striker to compete with Benjamin Sesko are needed. That is a substantial wishlist, regardless of Champions League money.

In some ways, United are fortunate their fixture list has been heavily reduced. Had they been competing in four competitions or even three, their squad would have been stretched too thin and it would have impacted their Premier League position.

This summer, United must be prepared to go big in the transfer window because they do not have enough senior players to compete across multiple competitions. Running their key players into the ground is not a realistic solution.

Kylian Mbappe’s involvement in next Wednesday’s Champions League first leg tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City is in doubt, after a new injury update was released

Real Madrid have issued an update on Kylian Mbappe as the forward continues to recover from a knee injury which has put his involvement in the upcoming Champions League tie against Manchester City in doubt.

Mbappe, 27, has been struggling with an injury to the external ligament of his left knee since the end of 2025 and missed last Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica due to “persistent pain” in training.

The France international has also been left out of the squad for Monday’s La Liga game against Getafe and there is concern that he might not return for next Wednesday’s Round of 16 first leg showdown at home to City.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

With Mbappe now missing his second successive game, Real released a statement on his condition before the game against Getafe at Santiago Bernabeu – and said that “conservative treatment” is due to follow.

Real said on the club’s website: “Following the tests conducted on our player Kylian Mbappe by French specialist doctors, under the supervision of Real Madrid’s Medical Services, the diagnosis of a sprain in the left knee and the suitability of the conservative treatment being followed are confirmed. Pending evolution.”

The update from Real comes a matter of hours after it emerged Mbappe has been “angered” by the club’s treatment of his ongoing knee problem. According to MARCA, Mbappe has consulted a specialist in France last week having been “not entirely satisfied” with the role Real’s medical staff have played in his bid to recovery.

It meant that Mbappe missed Vinicius Jr scoring in Real’s 2-1 win against Benfica in the Champions League, though he could return to watch his side face Getafe as they look to reignite their La Liga title bid.

Mbappe first flagged an issue with his left knee in early December but pushed through the pain barrier to make 12 appearances across all competitions for Real before being forced to miss the last two.

While there was an initial hope that Mbappe could return for the first leg against City, MARCA add that the ex-Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain man is ‘more likely’ to only be fit in time for the second leg on March 17.

City travel to the Bernabeu on March 11 before hosting Los Blancos at the Etihad Stadium six days later.

Mbappe has been in inspired form for Real this season, scoring a stunning 38 goals in 33 matches. He did, however, fail to find the net in his most recent appearance, a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on February 21.

Find the best flights and hotels for Champions League games

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Booking.com

See the deals here

Booking.com provides countless deals on flights and accommodation across Europe so Man City fans can follow the team on their Champions League campaign.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

The Champions League knockout stages are set to resume and Man Utd are once again on the outside looking in.

The social media team at Manchester City were having some fun a couple of weeks ago when they marked an entirely forgettable FA Cup win at Salford City with a post that poked fun at their cross-town rivals. “A win to mark our 41st game of the season!” said the message on X.

The target was obvious. City were bringing up game No.41 on Valentine’s Day, while Manchester United will only play 40 in the entire season. After failing to qualify for Europe, they were knocked out at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.

It is a season nobody at Old Trafford wants to repeat for a variety of reasons, not least the lack of football for one of the world’s biggest football clubs. United have another 10-day break between fixtures coming up, and at the end of March, they will begin a three-week gap between games.

Try MEN Premium NOW for just £1

A year ago, they were about to embark on the knockout stages of the Europa League, but while the TV screens around Carrington reminded everyone of the latest draws for European competitions on Friday via the rolling news channels, United’s staff and players had no reason to stop and take note.

Michael Carrick was paying little attention to the Champions League draw on Friday morning, despite the presence of six English clubs in the last-16 and the prospect of some mouth-watering ties in March. United will only play four games next month, so there will be plenty of time to settle down and watch some of them.

The good news for United is that, thanks to a run of 16 points from a possible 18 under Carrick, they are now in pole position to return to the Champions League next season. Carrick made 70 appearances in the competition for United, winning it once and playing in two further finals, so he knows that United’s history should make a seat at Europe’s top table a given.

But the 44-year-old struck the right tone when he called on the squad to go and earn that reward with a strong finish to the season. For all of United’s European history, they have drifted away from a position as Champions League regulars, with just two quarter-finals since 2013 and only four appearances in the knockout rounds in 13 seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

“It’s certainly where we want to be,” said Carrick. “I don’t think we can assume and just take things for granted that just because the past is the past, that it takes care of what should happen here and now or next season.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

“I think you’ve got to earn that, you’ve got to show you’re good enough, and I think that’s why when you have times of success, or you achieve success, it’s warranted to show how tough it actually is to get it.

“To be honest, at the moment, it’s really laser-focused on what’s ahead for us. There’s no point in us looking elsewhere. We know where we want to be, we know what we’ve got to do to get there and the performance level and the games that are coming up, where we want to try and get the right results.

“But I think looking at what else is going on in and around Europe at this point is not really going to help us, but it’s certainly where we want to be.”

United can take another step towards this target against Crystal Palace on Sunday, when Carrick will look to continue his excellent start in the job. Having had a free week since Monday, they should have an advantage over a team that played in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.

But when Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle resume Champions League duties next month, while United’s players are spending their week at Carrington, they will be reminded again of what they’re missing, and why they need to get back there.

Financially, it will be a significant boost this summer, but even more importantly, it is where this club should be, as Carrick well knows.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings

The group formations are shown on an electronic panel after drawing the UEFA Champions League round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, on February 27, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP