Real Madrid will face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League. Read our in depth article about this Champions League last 16 matchup.
Real Madrid CF v Manchester United FC
First leg: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid. Wednesday, February 13. (Buy tickets for this match)
Second leg: Old Trafford Manchester. Tuesday, March 5.
This tie is fit for a final and sees some intriguing match-ups as Cristiano Ronaldo faces his old employers in the shirt of the club United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once labelled ‘a virus’.
Real were second in Group D after losing to and drawing with group winners Borussia Dortmund but their European pedigree is unmatched and manager and master tactician Jose Mourinho has crossed swords with Sir Alex plenty of times before.
One of the first defining moments of The Special One’s career was his charge down the Old Trafford touchline after a last minute free kick knocked out Ferguson’s Red Devils as he took unfancied Porto to their 2004 Champions League win.
Mourinho has two Champions League medals won at two clubs, only the third man to achieve that feat. Sir Alex has two with the Reds and will be desperate to match the three crowns achieved by Bob Paisley at his club’s greatest rivals Liverpool.
Form spotters should note that when these two giants have clashed, the winners have gone on to win the tournament outright three times out of four. Madrid – record nine times winners of the European Cup and Champions League – have the upper hand, winning three to United’s one, which came on the way to their 1968 cup win. They can be thrillers too; the last time the club’s met in 2003 it was 6-5 on aggregate to Real.
United have an unhappy record against Spanish opposition in Spain, winning only two of their 10 encounters. After leaving the Champions League at the group stage last time out they were kicked out of the Europa League by Athletic Bilbao and their last two finals were unhappy meetings with Barcelona. Madrid have enjoyed hosting English visitors too, losing only two of 13 ties.
As a manager, Mourinho has a good record against United. While at Chelsea he faced the Reds 10 times, won five, drew four and lost just once. He’s keen to remind everyone that his two Champions League wins have come from runners up group spots.
This is a clash of titans. At United Robin van Persie has scored 22 goals since signing from Arsenal, taking the pressure of Wayne Rooney. In Madrid, Ronaldo (with 18 league goals in a relatively disappointing campaign for Los Blancos) is just one of a host of stars.
With these two teams and these two managers, nothing will be quiet in the run up to the tie; the latest news from the Bernabeu is of a player revolt against their coach while in England Sir Alex faces charges for his outspoken views on officials.
Head to Head
Real Madrid
League position on February 4
Third
Last five games
W, D, W, D, L
Odds
4/6
Manchester United
League position on February 4
First
Last five games
W, D, W, W, W
Odds
24/5
Odds on draw
16/5
Check out the other Champions League last 16 matchups :
Galatasaray A.S. v FC Schalke 04
Celtic Glasgow vs Juventus
Valencia CF vs Paris Saint-Germain
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal FC – FC Bayern München
FC Porto v Málaga CF
AC Milan v FC Barcelona