Real Madrid and Manchester City clash this Wednesday, bringing the absolute derby of the day. These are the powerhouses of today’s football, and among the most popular clubs in the world, so we just might say that the event at Santiago Bernabeu is a worldwide show.
The hosts are under pressure to win following this weekend’s defeat. City is on the rise, playing well, and coming to Madrid to win, nothing short of that.
This is the preview, which will include an analysis, predictions, and odds for this UCL fixture.
Real Madrid VS Manchester City
Real Madrid
Celta was victorious at the Bernabeu last weekend. They beat Real 0-2 with style. For Los Blancos, this was the third of the past five matches they failed to win. That’s a sound for alarm and reaction, because Real can’t afford to lose its pace now. To be honest, they never can.
🚨⚠️ Kylian Mbappé didn’t train with Real Madrid squad and he’s a doubt to face Manchester City. pic.twitter.com/xRv52dJEoC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 9, 2025
Their defense has been sluggish these days. Three times in the past 5 matches, it has allowed 2 or more goals, and for a team of their status, that’s way too much. We haven’t seen Real this unstable in the back line for a long time.
Despite the loss to Celta, Real’s performances at the Bernabeu are superb, if not better. They had nothing but wins until Sunday night, beating 8 rivals in a row. Xabi Alonso’s crew is highly aggressive in front of their own fans, and they break the rivals far more easily than on the road.
Manchester City
Guardiola’s crew is slowly clicking. Be sure that these guys will be in contention for both the UCL and the EPL this year. They’ve lost to Newcastle and Leverkusen in back-to-back events, but bounced back winning three in a row, all of them with three or more goals scored.
Highest rated players in the Premier League this season:
🥇 7.81 – Erling Haaland
🥈 7.39 – Phil Foden
🥈 7.39 – Jeremy Doku pic.twitter.com/bhljyZOuoy— WhoScored (@WhoScored) December 8, 2025
Overall, the City’s games this season have been very efficient, with 8 of the previous 10 concluding with three or more hits. Five saw over 3.5 goals, and that tells a lot as well. We also have to say that the City’s defense allowed at least a goal in 8 games during the previously mentioned interval.
That’s easy when you have Haaland, who is on track to have his best season so far. But not only him, but City also plays fluid and offensive-minded football, and don’t forget that plenty of new faces are in the team. This still isn’t their full potential.
Real Madrid VS Manchester City Head to Head
The City has not beaten this team in the past four events. All were in the UCL knockout stage, and Real emerged victorious on both occasions.
Now, regarding the efficiency of their direct encounters, we might say it’s pretty rich in goals. Nine of 10 last games (since 2020) saw both teams netting. Five of the previous 7 matches ended with over 3.5 goals. So it’s basically fireworks each time they meet.
Real Madrid VS Manchester City Predictions
This will be a high-scoring affair, undoubtedly. First of all, the tradition suggests such an outcome, but also the recent form. Real Madrid has problems in defense, as City does too. Meanwhile, their respective attacks are incredibly gifted and possibly the best in Europe.
When you add two and two here, both teams to score and over 2.5 goals are the best bet possible. even though Mbappe might not play. For those more courageous, over 1.5 HT or both teams scoring in one of these two halves is worth trying when looking at the odds.
We will be more conservative to reduce risk and deliver the safest possible bet for this event.
