ANKARA
Real Madrid will host reigning champions Manchester City in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg clash on Tuesday.
Austria defender David Alaba and Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will be unable to play for the hosts due to injuries.
“It is an incredibly attractive tie for the world of football. I wouldn’t say it will be similar to last season because every tie has its own individual characteristics,” said Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti. “But the quality of both sides will allow us to watch a beautiful match at a technical level. We know we will be better than City in some aspects and not so good in others. Let’s see what happens after 180 minutes.”
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola commended the performance of Real Madrid’s young English star Jude Bellingham.
“Bellingham’s impact has been massive. It’s a different team from last season. His influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it. Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club, and in this competition, they can control many things with the experience they have in the past.”
The two sides took on each other in the 2022-23 Champions League semifinals, which ended 5-1 on aggregate in Manchester City’s favor.
In the Champions League, the top-tier organization of European football at the club level, the quarterfinal rematches will be played on April 16-17.
The semifinals will be played on April 30-May 1 and May 7-8 and the final will take place on June 1 at Wembley Stadium in London.
The quarterfinal fixtures are as follows:
Tuesday:
Arsenal (England) – Bayern Munich (Germany)
Real Madrid (Spain) – Manchester City (England)
Wednesday:
Atletico Madrid (Spain) – Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Paris Saint-Germain (France) – Barcelona (Spain)
