Manchester City host Real Madrid hunting first European win
Manchester City host Real Madrid at the Joie Stadium on 1 October in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Kick-off is listed at 8pm BST, according to The Guardian. The tie is part of Matchday 2, with nine games spread across 30 September and 1 October.
Both sides are chasing a first win in Europe this season. City opened with a comeback from two goals behind to take a point in Germany, a week-one trip that took them away to Bayern Munich, according to BBC Sport. Real Madrid started with a 1-1 draw at home to Paris St-Germain.
City come into the night as champions of England. They ended Chelsea's run of six consecutive WSL titles.
Andree Jeglertz has set City up in a 4-2-3-1, which means four defenders, two deeper midfielders and three attackers behind one striker. Ayaka Yamashita starts in goal. Kerstin Casparij, Jade Rose, Alex Greenwood and Laura Wamser form the back four. Julie Blindkilde Brown and Yui Hasegawa sit in midfield, with Mary Fowler, Aoba Fujino and Lauren Hemp behind Khadija Shaw.
Real Madrid answer with a 4-3-3, three central midfielders behind three forwards. Merle Frohms starts in goal. Eva Navarro, Maelle Lakrar, Filippa Andersson and Silvia Cristobal are the defenders. Arianna Caruso, Elisa Senss and Andreia Jacinto play in midfield, with Athenea del Castillo, Jule Brand Schroder and captain Linda Caicedo in attack.
Caicedo wears the armband for the Spanish side. Real are coached by Pau Quesada, according to Real Madrid.
Jeglertz described the tie as "Business as usual" ahead of kick-off. No fuss. No big speech.
What makes this stand out is the contrast. City bring English league-winning momentum. Madrid bring control and experience. For fans, this means a proper European test, early in the league phase, with both teams needing points to keep pace.
The game is scheduled for the Joie Stadium, City's home for Women's Champions League nights alongside ties against Paris Saint-Germain and Austria Wien. Real Madrid's preview listed Disney+ as coverage for the trip to Manchester. After this, City are listed to face Paris SG on 29 October, while Madrid's calendar has Bayern Munich away on 28 October.
