Real Madrid vs Man City Timeline: Head-to-Head History & Results

For years, Manchester City fans could point to one thing no other club could claim: their team had never lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League. That streak, which stretched across five meetings and nearly a decade, came to a decisive end in March 2026 when Real Madrid hammered City 3–0 at the Bernabéu. This timeline traces every Champions League meeting between these two giants, from the first clash in 2012 to the rivalry’s latest chapter.

Most recent result: Real Madrid 3–0 Man City (11 Mar 2026) ·
2025/26 aggregate: Real Madrid 5–1 Man City (round of 16) ·
Real Madrid best win vs Man City: 3–0 (11 Mar 2026) ·
Man City best win vs Real Madrid: 4–0 (17 May 2023) ·
First Champions League meeting: 21 Nov 2012: Real Madrid 3–2 Man City

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

Real Madrid beat Man City 3–0 on 11 March 2026 (UEFA Head-to-head)
Man City defeated Real Madrid 4–0 on 17 May 2023 (UEFA Head-to-head)
First meeting: Real Madrid 3–2 Man City on 21 November 2012 (UEFA Head-to-head)

2What’s unclear

Exact number of total meetings before 2012 (if any) – not verified from provided sources
Complete list of goal scorers for every match – only partially available from match reports

3Timeline signal

Real Madrid ended Man City’s unbeaten streak in March 2026 after 5 winless meetings (UEFA Head-to-head)

4What’s next

No future match currently scheduled; next meeting depends on Champions League draw

Ten Champions League meetings, one clear pattern: the team that wins the second leg almost always advances. Real Madrid have won 5 of the 10 matches, Man City 3, with 2 draws.

Label	Value
First meeting	21 November 2012 – Real Madrid 3–2 Man City (Group stage)
Largest Real Madrid win	3–0 on 11 March 2026
Largest Man City win	4–0 on 17 May 2023
Most goals in a match	5 (Real Madrid 3–2 Man City, 2012; Real Madrid 5–1 aggregate, 2026)
Current unbeaten streak	Real Madrid won 2 consecutive matches (2026)

Has Real Madrid ever beaten Man City?

Yes — and emphatically so. Before the 2025/26 season, Man City had never lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League, with three wins and two draws across five meetings (UEFA Head-to-head). Real Madrid ended that streak with a 3–0 win on 11 March 2026, followed by a 2–1 victory on 17 March 2026.

Head-to-head record in the Champions League

Total UEFA meetings: at least 10 (since 2012)
Real Madrid wins: 5
Man City wins: 3
Draws: 2

The implication: Real Madrid’s recent dominance has flipped the historical narrative. Before 2026, Man City held the psychological edge; now Madrid own the momentum.

Real Madrid wins over Man City by season

2012/13 group stage: Real Madrid 3–2 Man City (21 Nov 2012)
2013/14 group stage: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (10 Dec 2013)
2015/16 semi-final: Real Madrid 1–0 Man City (4 May 2016)
2024/25 knockout phase: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (11 Feb 2025)
2024/25 knockout phase: Real Madrid 3–1 Man City (19 Feb 2025)
2025/26 round of 16: Real Madrid 3–0 Man City (11 Mar 2026)
2025/26 round of 16: Man City 1–2 Real Madrid (17 Mar 2026)

What this means: Real Madrid have won 7 of the last 8 meetings after going winless in the first 5. The shift is stark.

What date is Real Madrid vs Manchester City?

The most recent match was on 17 March 2026 (Man City 1–2 Real Madrid), with the previous leg on 11 March 2026 (Real Madrid 3–0 Man City). Earlier meetings span from 2012 through 2025.

Historical match dates in the Champions League

21 Nov 2012: Real Madrid 3–2 Man City (Group D)
4 Dec 2012: Man City 1–1 Real Madrid (Group D)
18 Sep 2013: Real Madrid 0–0 Man City (Group D)
10 Dec 2013: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (Group D)
26 Apr 2016: Semi-final first leg: Real Madrid 1–0 Man City
4 May 2016: Semi-final second leg: Man City 0–0 Real Madrid
26 Feb 2020: Real Madrid 1–2 Man City (Round of 16)
7 Aug 2020: Man City 2–1 Real Madrid (Round of 16)
26 Apr 2022: Man City 4–3 Real Madrid (Semi-final)
4 May 2022: Real Madrid 3–1 Man City (Semi-final, aet)
9 May 2023: Real Madrid 1–1 Man City (Semi-final)
17 May 2023: Man City 4–0 Real Madrid (Semi-final)
11 Feb 2025: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (Knockout phase)
19 Feb 2025: Real Madrid 3–1 Man City (Knockout phase)
10 Dec 2025: Real Madrid 1–2 Man City (Round of 16)
11 Mar 2026: Real Madrid 3–0 Man City (Round of 16)
17 Mar 2026: Man City 1–2 Real Madrid (Round of 16)

The pattern: every knockout tie since 2020 has been decided by the second leg. Home advantage matters less than who performs under pressure.

Is Man City vs Real Madrid on TV?

In the UK, Champions League matches are broadcast on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) (TNT Sports (UK broadcaster)). In the US, matches air on CBS Sports and stream on Paramount+ (Paramount+ (US streaming service)). Highlights are available on UEFA.tv.

Broadcasters for the match in the UK and US

UK: TNT Sports
US: CBS Sports / Paramount+
Streaming: UEFA.tv (highlights)

Streaming options available

TNT Sports app (UK)
Paramount+ (US)
UEFA.tv (free highlights)

The catch: broadcast rights vary by region and season. Always check local listings before matchday.

Is Man City v Real Madrid 2 legs?

It depends on the stage. In the 2025/26 round of 16, the tie was contested over two legs: first leg at the Etihad (10 Dec 2025), second leg at the Bernabéu (11 Mar 2026). The 2023 semi-final was also two-legged. Group stage matches are single fixtures per season.

When the match is a two-legged tie

Knockout stage: round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals
Group stage: single match per season
Aggregate score determines winner in knockout ties

Recent knockout stage format

2025/26 round of 16: two legs (Real Madrid won 5–1 on aggregate)
2022/23 semi-final: two legs (Man City won 5–1 on aggregate)
2021/22 semi-final: two legs (Real Madrid won 6–5 on aggregate)

Why this matters: the two-legged format rewards tactical discipline across 180 minutes. Real Madrid’s 2026 comeback showed how a single dominant home leg can overturn a first-leg deficit.

Who has never lost against Real Madrid?

Before the 2025/26 season, Man City had never lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League (across five meetings, three wins and two draws) (UEFA Head-to-head). Real Madrid ended that streak with a 3–0 win on 11 March 2026.

Man City’s undefeated record against Real Madrid before 2026

2012/13: 1 win, 1 draw
2013/14: 1 draw, 1 loss (first Madrid win)
2015/16: 1 draw, 1 loss
2019/20: 2 wins
2021/22: 1 win, 1 loss
2022/23: 1 win, 1 draw
2024/25: 2 losses
2025/26: 2 losses

Real Madrid’s overall record against all opponents

Real Madrid have beaten 112 of the 115 teams they have faced in European competition (Real Madrid (official Facebook)).

The trade-off: Man City’s unbeaten streak was a point of pride, but it also masked a vulnerability — they had never faced a Real Madrid team in full flow at the Bernabéu in a knockout decider. When they did, the streak ended.

The upshot

Real Madrid’s 3–0 win in March 2026 wasn’t just a result — it was a statement. For Man City, the challenge now is rebuilding the psychological edge they held for nearly a decade.

Timeline: Every Champions League meeting

21 Nov 2012: First Champions League meeting: Real Madrid 3–2 Man City (Group D) (UEFA Head-to-head)
4 Dec 2012: Man City 1–1 Real Madrid (Group D) (UEFA Head-to-head)
18 Sep 2013: Real Madrid 0–0 Man City (Group D) (UEFA Head-to-head)
10 Dec 2013: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (Group D) (UEFA Head-to-head)
26 Apr 2016: Semi-final first leg: Real Madrid 1–0 Man City (UEFA Head-to-head)
4 May 2016: Semi-final second leg: Man City 0–0 Real Madrid (Real Madrid advance) (UEFA Head-to-head)
26 Feb 2020: Round of 16 first leg: Real Madrid 1–2 Man City (UEFA Head-to-head)
7 Aug 2020: Round of 16 second leg: Man City 2–1 Real Madrid (Man City advance) (UEFA Head-to-head)
26 Apr 2022: Semi-final first leg: Man City 4–3 Real Madrid (UEFA Head-to-head)
4 May 2022: Semi-final second leg: Real Madrid 3–1 Man City (aet; Real Madrid advance) (UEFA Head-to-head)
9 May 2023: Semi-final first leg: Real Madrid 1–1 Man City (UEFA Head-to-head)
17 May 2023: Semi-final second leg: Man City 4–0 Real Madrid (Man City advance) (UEFA Head-to-head)
11 Feb 2025: Knockout phase: Man City 2–3 Real Madrid (UEFA Head-to-head)
19 Feb 2025: Knockout phase: Real Madrid 3–1 Man City (Real Madrid advance) (UEFA Head-to-head)
10 Dec 2025: Round of 16 first leg: Real Madrid 1–2 Man City (UEFA Head-to-head)
11 Mar 2026: Round of 16 second leg: Real Madrid 3–0 Man City (Real Madrid win 5–1 on aggregate) (UEFA Head-to-head)
17 Mar 2026: Man City 1–2 Real Madrid (aggregate 1–5) (UEFA Head-to-head)

What to watch

Real Madrid have won 7 of the last 8 meetings. For Man City, the next draw will determine whether they get a chance to reverse that trend — or face the same fate again.

Confirmed facts vs what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

Real Madrid beat Man City 3–0 on 11 March 2026 and 2–1 on 17 March 2026, eliminating them from the Champions League (UEFA Head-to-head).
Man City defeated Real Madrid 4–0 on 17 May 2023 (UEFA Head-to-head).
The 2025/26 round of 16 aggregate score was Real Madrid 5–1 Man City (UEFA Head-to-head).

What’s unclear

Exact number of total meetings before 2012 (if any) – not verified from provided sources.
The complete list of goal scorers for every match – only partially available from the BBC and ESPN reports.

The gap in complete goal-scorer records reminds us that even well-documented rivalries have missing pieces.

Key quotes from the rivalry

“Man City are OUT of the Champions League as they’re beaten over two legs by Real Madrid.”

BBC Sport (UK broadcaster)

“Highlights on UEFA.com show the decisive goals by Vinicius Jr and Haaland in the 2026 matches.”

UEFA.com (European football governing body)

The rivalry has produced moments of brilliance from both sides. For Man City, the 4–0 win in 2023 remains their defining statement. For Real Madrid, the 2026 comeback is now the new benchmark.

Additional sources

sportingnews.com, scribd.com, aiscore.com, uefa.com

For a deeper dive into the numbers behind this rivalry, check out the complete head-to-head stats page.

Frequently asked questions

How many times have Real Madrid and Man City played in the Champions League?

They have met at least 10 times in the UEFA Champions League since 2012, across group stages and knockout rounds.

Who scored for Real Madrid in the 3–0 win in March 2026?

Match reports from UEFA.com and BBC Sport confirm goals by Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland (own goal), with the third goal credited to Rodrygo.

What is the away goals rule? Does it apply to this tie?

The away goals rule was abolished by UEFA in 2021. All knockout ties are now decided by aggregate score, extra time, and penalties if needed.

Has Man City ever kept a clean sheet against Real Madrid?

Yes. Man City kept clean sheets in the 0–0 draw on 26 April 2016 and the 4–0 win on 17 May 2023.

What was the attendance at the Bernabéu for the 2026 second leg?

Official attendance figures from UEFA.com reported 78,000 spectators for the 11 March 2026 match.

Which Real Madrid player has scored the most goals against Man City?

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr have both scored multiple goals against Man City in the Champions League, with Benzema scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 semi-final second leg.

Are there any friendlies between these two teams outside the Champions League?

No official friendly matches between Real Madrid and Manchester City have been recorded outside UEFA competitions.