Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has laid down a marker to their Champions League rivals by saying whoever wins their play-off tie with Manchester City will lift the trophy in May.
This is the fourth year in a row Real and City have met at Europe’s top table, with Real emerging victorious twice and Man City the other – leading Ancelotti to dub their rivalry a new ‘Clasico’ ahead of their latest clash.
Both sides find themselves in indifferent form on the continent this season, with City less than half an hour away from dropping out of the competition altogether in the league phase before finally seeing off Club Brugge in their final group game.
Surprise Real defeats in Lille and at home to AC Milan saw them finish a point off the automatic last-16 qualification spots and also drop into the play-off round.
Ah, we meet again…
Unlike City, Ancelotti’s side have largely kept up their domestic form and lead the LaLiga table by a point, despite another shock loss at Espanyol at the start of the month.
Even with both team’s stuttering Champions League form to this point – and City’s Premier League struggles – Ancelotti tipped the winner of their latest meeting to go all the way again ahead of the first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night. (SkySports)