It’s a classic of the modern era of the Champions League: for the 5th consecutive year, Manchester City and Real Madrid find themselves in a double confrontation during the knockout phase of the competition. A duel which had smiled on Real three times, in 2022, 2024 and 2025 (with two coronations in the first two cases), while City had won in 2023 before also going to the end.
This year, Real Madrid is once again on favorable waivers. The Merengue won comfortably six days ago, in the first leg, with a 3-0 success at the Bernabeu thanks to a fantastic hat-trick from Federico Valverde.
The Champions League’s most successful club must finish the job at the Etihad, where Vinicius Jr and his teammates are currently challenging the Sky Blues.
Clément Turpin accustomed to this poster
If this clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid has become a habit at this stage of the competition, UEFA’s choice to appoint the referee for the match also has an air of déjà vu. The body has designated Clément Turpin for this round of 16 return to England. Considered the reference in France with François Letexier, the 43-year-old referee had officiated on this show twice, during the last two campaigns. His presence this Tuesday evening caused many supporters to react.
A year ago, during the play-off away to the Etihad, Clément Turpin saw Real win on English soil (3-2), before again leading the two clubs at the Bernabeu this season in the League phase, this time with a victory for City (2-1). But it is above all his decisions preceding this meeting which awaken some striking memories since Clément Turpin had whistled a penalty for Manchester City during the two previous confrontations between the two clubs (each time transformed by Erling Haaland). In this context, his strong decisions will necessarily be scrutinized this Tuesday evening.
