Rodrygo has added to his scoring streak with Real Madrid but the Spanish powerhouse didn’t get all the goals it needed to finish high enough in the league phase of the Champions League and avoid a possible encounter with Manchester City in the playoffs.

Real Madrid hope to avoid Manchester City in the next round, manager Carlo Ancelotti said after they beat Brest 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League playoff where they will be seeded.

There is going to be a blockbuster Champions League knockout playoff round tie between Manchester City and Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. Here's why.

Real Madrid is celebrating its return to good form despite placing low in the Champions League and failing to avoid a possible playoff against Manchester City.

Manchester City squeezed through to the Champions League play-off round with a 3-1 comeback win against Club Brugge.

The UEFA Champions League's first-ever league phase is over, and the knockout stage outlook is now much clearer. Manchester City avoided disaster, Liverpool topped the league-phase table, and we will get Manchester City against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the playoffs.

Real Madrid hope to avoid Manchester City in the next round, manager Carlo Ancelotti said after they beat Brest 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League playoff where they will be seeded. The holders will face either Celtic or Manchester City in the two-legged playoff on February,

However, the situation is further complicated by the return from injury of veteran star Dani Carvajal, who has held the Real Madrid right-back slot for over a decade. Carvajal's 2024/25 season was cut short in October, after he suffered a triple knee ligament injury, with surgery ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign.

His beautifully taken goal for Lille in their win over Feyenoord gave him six goals in the Champions League and makes him Canada’s all-time leading scorer in the CL. Our neighbors to the north will hope he can replicate that form when Canada co-hosts the World Cup next year.

Real Madrid No.1 Thibaut Courtois is keen to return to international action with Belgium in 2025. Courtois is currently 8th on the Red Devils all-time appearances list, with 102 caps, but he has not played for the national team since 2023 due to a dispute with former head coach Domenico Tedesco.