Real Madrid will welcome Manchester City to the Bernabeu on Wednesday night for a blockbuster Champions League round of 16 clash.
After failing to secure a top-eight finish during the league phase, 15-time winners Real Madrid were forced to navigate a playoff tie with Benfica – a hurdle they cleared with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
WATCH HERE;
Closer to home, Los Blancos needed a last-gasp winner to edge past Celta Vigo 2-1 on Friday night, which snapped a two-game losing run in La Liga.
The victory should have eased some of the pressure in the Spanish capital, although Alvaro Arbeloa’s men remain four points adrift of rivals Barcelona.
As for Manchester City, they were one of five English teams to finish inside the top eight of the league phase standings, with Pep Guardiola’s side placing eighth.
Like their Spanish counterparts, City have also seen their domestic title hopes dented in recent weeks, most recently drawing 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest last midweek – a result that left them seven points adrift of Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand.
