Following the conclusion of the league phase on Wednesday, the Champions League play-off draw took place on Friday.
Both Manchester City and Real Madrid reached the play-offs, having missed out on automatic qualification. ..Continue Reading
The two teams were drawn against each other in the standout fixture of the play-off round.
Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards last month, Ronaldo commented on Manchester City’s form in the Champions League and Real Madrid’s chances of claiming more European silverware.
He expressed confidence that Pep Guardiola’s side would overcome their slump and predicted that his former club, Real Madrid, would win this season’s Champions League.
The 39-year-old also mentioned that ‘all’ teams are ‘scared’ of facing Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
“Well, in football you never know what’s going to happen,” he explained.
“The teams have moments, difficult times, good times and what, for example, City pass through this moment is a difficult time but I’m sure, 100 per cent that they will be back.
“It’s like Madrid, people don’t expect that they’ve bene so brilliant in the beginning but they are not too bad, they are there, two points in front of Barcelona and they say it’s a bad season, I don’t understand why they say these kind of things.
“Every player, every team they have a rash moment but they will come back all the time. And Madrid, if you have to bet to win the Champions League again I would bet Real Madrid because you never know what’s going to happen.
“At the Bernabeu it’s different, all the teams are scared when they play there, this is a fact, history says that, and never consider Madrid dead because they always come back, City as well.”
Manchester City and Real Madrid both experienced three losses during the league phase of the competition.
Manchester City accumulated 11 points from their eight matches, while Real Madrid managed to secure 15 points.
These two teams will face off next month in a two-legged tie to decide who advances to the last-16.
