Overview
- Kick-off is 8:00 pm GMT (3:00 pm ET) at the Santiago Bernabéu, with live coverage in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and streaming on discovery+.
- Reports in Spain suggest Alonso’s job could be in jeopardy with a defeat, after a 2-0 home loss to Celta Vigo left Madrid with just two wins in their last seven matches.
- Real Madrid are short in defense with Éder Militão ruled out and Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and Trent Alexander-Arnold unavailable, while Thibaut Courtois starts as Andriy Lunin serves a suspension.
- City travel without midfielders Rodri and Mateo Kovačić and face a late decision on John Stones; they sit on 10 points outside the automatic qualification places despite three straight domestic wins following a loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
- Kylian Mbappé has nine goals in five Champions League games this season and was expected to lead the line despite a fractured finger, though he trained separately on Tuesday, as Erling Haaland headlines City’s attack in a rivalry Real lead 5–4 with five draws across 14 meetings.