ALL EYES ON BERNABéU: UCL BLOCKBUSTER AS MADRID FACES DEFENSIVE MELTDOWN
Real Madrid faces Man City with an unprecedented eight-player injury crisis, including Militao and Carvajal. City, despite their own injury woes, aims to capitalise on a UCL top-eight finish.
Real Madrid could be without as many as eight of their key players when they play Manchester City in the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Madrid is currently fifth in the group, just two points ahead of Manchester City, who are ninth. This game has become a classic, especially during Pep Guardiola’s time at City.
Since 2020, City has often faced the Spanish team, who have won the Champions League more than any other team. They had mixed results, including their title win in 2023 when they beat Real Madrid in the semi-final and then Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul.
City is doing great in their domestic league, but a surprising 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in Europe, after Guardiola made ten changes to his starting lineup, makes the upcoming game against Real Madrid even more critical.
Last season, Madrid beat Manchester City home and away in the Round of 16, easily winning 6-2 on aggregate. Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the second leg in Spain.
City will miss Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, and John Stones due to injuries. They are not expected to play in Wednesday's game in Madrid. Guardiola will give an update on the team's fitness at a press conference on Tuesday.
Fitness is a big worry for Alonso and Madrid, who are missing many important players for one of the biggest games of the season. All eyes will be on the Santiago Bernabeu this week.
Eder Militao has a hamstring injury, Trent Alexander-Arnold is out until February 2026 with a thigh issue, and Dean Huijsen is doubtful because of a muscle injury.
Dani Carvajal recently had knee surgery and will be out for a while. David Alaba might also miss the game against Manchester City as he recovers from a muscle injury, which kept him out of the 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Ferland Mendy has only played once for Real Madrid this season due to ongoing fitness problems. It’s unclear when Alonso can count on the Frenchman, especially with a tough schedule ahead that could seriously affect their title hopes.
Kylian Mbappe is dealing with discomfort in his left leg. He missed training on Tuesday and is a major doubt for the game against Manchester City, according to Arancha Rodríguez.
Eduardo Camavinga also missed training because of an ankle injury, confirmed by Fabrice Hawkins. This means he will miss the game against City, who will want to use Madrid’s fitness issues to their advantage on Wednesday.
Manchester City can’t afford to lose two Champions League games in a row. Guardiola and his team will try to win, using their good Premier League form. Still, a draw against Real Madrid is never a bad result.
TOTTENHAM CONFIRM MANAGER POSITION FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH AGAINST ATLETICO MADRID
Tottenham confirm Igor Tudor will remain in charge for the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid this Tuesday.
Tottenham has put an end to the speculation about Igor Tudor’s future by confirming he will stay on as head coach for their upcoming Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. Sky Sports reports Tudor will lead the pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of this crucial fixture.
Pressure on Tudor had been mounting following a rocky start at Tottenham. There were murmurs he might be sacked after a series of disappointing results, but the late 1-1 draw against Liverpool seems to have provided a reprieve. Before that, the assumption was that one more loss, especially away at Anfield, could cost him his job. Confirming Tudor’s role for the Atletico clash signals the club is sticking with him for now, at least through the next big challenge.
That challenge is significant. Spurs are trailing 5-2 on aggregate after the first leg against Atletico, a match that drew sharp criticism for Tottenham’s performance. The game was difficult to watch, not only because of the scoreline but also because of a striking moment when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was taken off just 17 minutes in, a rare and unsettling decision that highlighted deeper issues.
For Tudor, Tuesday’s match is both a test and an opportunity to demonstrate leadership. The confirmation of his position brings mixed feelings among fans. There’s a recognition that stability is important during such a hectic part of the season, yet lingering doubts remain after some shaky displays.
Fans watched the first leg against Atletico with a sense of disbelief. Conceding five goals and that early goalkeeper substitution raised legitimate questions about the team’s preparation and tactical choices. That substitution felt emblematic of a chaotic night, reflecting larger problems.
The gritty draw with Liverpool, though, offered a glimpse of fighting spirit and earned some credit for resilience, even if the overall form is inconsistent. Moments like that can offer managers breathing room in tough times.
Still, supporters crave clarity and a long-term vision. Tottenham has shifted its direction multiple times in recent years, and the fans want a coherent plan moving forward. Tudor now has a clear chance to reinforce his authority and bring some order against a tough Atletico side.
Even if overcoming the deficit proves elusive, Spurs supporters will be looking for signs of organisation, determination, and a stronger team identity. That might be the most valuable takeaway from the clash.
UCL DRAW 2026 LAST 16: PREMIER LEAGUE GIANTS FACE BRUTAL DRAW IN QUEST FOR EUROPEAN GLORY 2026
The Champions League draw is out! Read the full list of fixtures, including Man City vs Real Madrid and Newcastle’s trip to Barcelona.
Manchester City will go head-to-head with Real Madrid in what’s easily the standout fixture of this season’s Champions League round of 16.
UEFA stuck to the same process as last year’s new format, running the draws for the last 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals all on the same day in Nyon, Switzerland.
There’s still plenty of English interest left in the competition. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, and Man City all made it through, which pretty much guarantees the Premier League an extra Champions League spot next season thanks to the UEFA coefficient.
With the seeding and pairing rules, each of the 16 teams already knew they’d be facing one of just two possible opponents in the next round.
Liverpool and Tottenham ended up in the same section of the bracket. No surprise, since they finished third and fourth in their groups.
Arsenal, who topped their group, drew Bayern Munich. Manchester City got Sporting Lisbon, and Chelsea lined up against Barcelona.
After Newcastle’s play-off win over Qarabag, they were slotted into their section of the bracket.
Now that the draw’s done, here’s what’s coming up: Chelsea will take on defending champions PSG, and Newcastle will get Barcelona.
Real Madrid against Manchester City is the pick of the bunch, two giants going toe-to-toe.
Liverpool will face Galatasaray, while Tottenham will meet Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are set to play either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta – a tricky tie either way.
Here’s the full Champions League last 16 draw for 2025/26:
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting
Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
Newcastle vs Barcelona
Galatasaray vs Liverpool
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham
Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
And for the Europa League quarter-finals:
Paris Saint-Germain/Chelsea vs Galatasaray/Liverpool
Real Madrid/Manchester City vs Atalanta/Bayern Munich
Newcastle/Barcelona vs Tottenham/Atletico Madrid
Bodø/Glimt/Sporting vs Bayer Leverkusen/Arsenal
The Europa League semi-finals shape up like this:
Paris Saint-Germain/Chelsea/Galatasaray/Liverpool vs Real Madrid/Manchester City/Atalanta/Bayern Munich
Newcastle/Barcelona/Tottenham/Atletico Madrid vs Bodo/Glimt/Sporting/Bayer Leverkusen/Arsenal
As for the dates, here’s what you need to know:
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 & May 5/6, 2026
Final: May 30, 2026, in Budapest
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