Real Madrid vs Manchester City: Champions League Battle at the Bernabeu It's a rare sight to see Real Madrid, 15-time Champions League winners, enter a crucial match as underdogs. But that's exactly what's happening at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday as Manchester City comes to town. The Premier League side is the clear favourite to win the first leg of their last 16 tie. Real Madrid has been inconsistent lately, and key players like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo are all sidelined due to injuries. Their team's form has been a major concern, and Manchester City is looking to capitalize on this. The two teams have a long history of facing each other, with five wins, five draws, and five losses each in their 15 previous encounters. However, Manchester City has had the upper hand in their recent meetings, including a victory in the league phase at the Bernabeu. Since then, City has strengthened its squad with the arrivals of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, while midfielder Rodri has recovered from a long-term injury. This has given them an edge over their Spanish opponents. Real Madrid's coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, has called on the team's fans to rally behind them in this crucial match. He hopes that the energy of the crowd will help his team get back on track. One player who has shown promise is winger Vinicius Jr, who has been instrumental in Madrid's recent victories. In their last match, Vinicius was key in Madrid's win over Celta Vigo, but he admitted to feeling tired after the game. The team has relied heavily on him in recent matches, and it remains to be seen how they will perform without their injured stars. The match is set to be a closely contested affair, with both teams vying for a spot in the quarterfinals. Manchester City is the clear favourite, but Real Madrid has a history of pulling off upsets in the Champions League. It will be an exciting match to watch, and we will be bringing you live text commentary and analysis from Al Jazeera Sport starting at 5pm GMT. So, are you ready for the battle between Real Madrid and Manchester City? Who will emerge victorious in this highly anticipated match? Tune in to find out.