The league stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League competition continues with the second day of Matchday 6 on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
The biggest match of the day features Real Madrid hosting Manchester City.
Real Madrid, the 15-time winners of the UEFA Champions League, are coming off a humbling 2-0 loss to middle-of-the-table Celta Vigo over the weekend and first-year coach Xabi Alonso is already on the hot seat after getting just one win over the club’s last five La Liga matches. Real Madrid has enjoyed better form in the Champions League, winning four of five league phase matches.
Manchester City is chasing table-toppers Arsenal in the Premier League, having won five of its last six league matches. Man City, however, is coming off a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at City of Manchester Stadium in its last Champions League match and currently sits in 12th place — six spots behind Real Madrid — in that competition’s table.
Manchester City makes trio of substitutions
In the 70th minute, manager Pep Guardiola went to his bench for some fresh legs as Manchester City aims to maintain its lead.
In the game entered midfielders Savinho and Tijjani Reijnders, and forward Omar Marmoush. Exiting the match were Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki.
Manchester City maintains 2-1 lead well into second half
The frantic pace from the back end of the first half carried over to the second half as both sides have generated scoring opportunities.
Goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) and Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City) have been up to the task, however, as Manchester City maintains its 2-1 lead.
In the 58th minute, Real Madrid made the first substitution of the game, putting midfielder Arda Güler onto the pitch in favor of Gonzalo García. Then in the 67th minute, Real Madrid added attacking midfielder Brahim Díaz and took off Dani Ceballos.
With 20 minutes (and whatever will be added for stoppage time) remaining in the match, one wonders if Real Madrid manager Xabier Alonso will get the ailing Kylian Mbappe into the game.
UEFA Champions League halftime score update
Manchester City 2, Real Madrid 1
Bayer Leverkusen 1, Newcastle United 0
Benfica 1, Napoli 0
Arsenal 1, Club Brugge 0
Athletic Club 0, Paris Saint-Germain 0
Juventus 0, Pafos 0
Borussia Dortmund 1, Bodø/Glimt 1
Final scores from Wednesday:
FC Copenhagen 3, Villareal 2
Ajax 4, Qarabag FK 2
Manchester City 2, Real Madrid 1: Erling Haaland converts penalty kick
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger wrestled Man City’s Erling Haaland to the ground in the 18-yard box. Rüdiger was issued a yellow card and VAR confirmed a penalty kick, which Haaland buried in the 43rd minute.
After a slow start to the match, things are getting spicy at the Bernabéu.
Per UEFA, fewest games needed to score 55 goals in the UEFA Champions League:
Erling Haaland — 54
Ruud van Nistelrooy — 70
Lionel Messi — 73
Robert Lewandowski — 82
Kylian Mbappé — 83
Cristiano Ronaldo — 94
Manchester City 1, Real Madrid 1: Nico O’Reilly pounces for an equalizer
It didn’t take long for Manchester City to get the equalizer.
Nico O’Reilly poked home the tying goal in the 35th minute. The goal came from close range off after a corner kick. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois couldn’t collect the initial shot on goal and the ball rolled out in front of O’Reilly, who delivered the game-tying goal. Real Madrid protested that O’Reilly was offsides, but to no avail.
Per UEFA, O’Reilly (20 years and 264 days) is the second-youngest player to score for an English team against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, after Alan Smith (20 years, 129 days) for Leeds United in March 2001.
Real Madrid 1, Manchester City 0: Rodrygo scores opener
A counter attack following an unsuccessful Manchester City free-kick attempt resulted in the opening goal at the Bernabéu in the 28th minute.
Rodrygo slid home a goal for Real Madrid on an assist from Jude Bellingham as the hosts have a first-half advantage.
It is Rodyrgo’s first goal of the 2025-26 season.
Per UEFA, Rodrygo has joined an exclusive list. These are the top all-time Brazilian goal-scorers in the UEFA Champions League:
Neymar — 43
Kaká — 30
Vinícius Júnior — 29
Rivaldo — 27
Rodrygo — 26
Midway through first half: Real Madrid 0, Manchester City 0
Neither squad has seriously threatened to break through with the opening goal at the Bernabéu, with neither goalkeeper pressed into action.
Through 25 minutes of play, Man City has enjoyed the possession advantage, 63% to 37%. Real Madrid, however, has taken four shot attempts — none on target — to none for Man City.
How to watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City
Date: Dec. 10
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Estadio Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain)
TV and streaming: Paramount+
Watch UEFA Champions League on Paramount+
Why is Kylian Mbappe not in the starting 11?
Real Madrid’s top goal-scoring threat Kylian Mbappe is not starting against Manchester City, but is available off the bench.
Mbappe has been dealing with a muscular problem and missed the team’s training session on Tuesday.
With Mbappe on the bench, Gonzalo García, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo will lead Real Madrid’s attack.
Mbappe has 25 goals in 21 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid during the 2025-26 campaign.
Real Madrid lineup today
Manchester City starting lineup vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid, Manchester City a budding club football rivalry
Wednesday’s Real Madrid-Manchester City clash will be the 13th meeting between the clubs in the past decade, a rivalry that has intensified as Real and City combined to claim three of the last four Champions League titles.
Real won the competition in 2022 and 2024, beating City en route to both titles, while the English side lifted their maiden Champions League trophy in 2023 after overcoming the Spanish club in the semi-finals that year.
Real are fifth in the Champions League standings on 12 points, three behind leaders Arsenal. City are ninth on 10 points, chasing a top-eight finish that would secure direct qualification to the last 16. — Reuters
Bernabéu also hosted NFL International Series game
Real Madrid’s home stadium also hosted the first NFL International Series game played in Spain.
On Nov. 16, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders, 16-13, at the Estadio Bernabéu.
As the NFL continues its push for games outside the United States, commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that the league will play more games in Spain.
‘We will be back, we are excited,’ Goodell said before the Dolphins-Commanders game. ‘This has been a great opportunity for us. We always wait until we get through the games, but we want to be back here in Madrid (and) Spain. I think this is a great market for us.’
The NFL played a record seven International Series games during the 2025 season.
Champions League schedule today
Here’s the full list of UEFA Champions League fixtures for Wednesday, Dec. 10 (all times ET):
All games available on Paramount+
Villarreal CF (Spain) vs. FC Copenhagen (Denmark), 12:45 p.m.
Qarabağ FK (Azerbaijan) vs. Ajax (Netherlands), 12:45 p.m.
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) vs. Newcastle United (England), 3 p.m.
Real Madrid (Spain) vs. Manchester City (England), 3 p.m.
Benfica (Portugal) vs. Napoli (Italy), 3 p.m.
Club Brugge (Belgium) vs. Arsenal (England), 3 p.m.
Athletic Club (Spain) vs. Paris Saint-Germain (France), 3 p.m.
Juventus (Italy) vs. Pafos FC (Cyprus), 3 p.m.
Borussia Dortmund (Germany) vs. FK Bodø/Glimt (Norway), 3 p.m.
What is the upcoming Champions League schedule?
Matchday 7: Jan. 20-21
Matchday 8: Jan. 28
Knockout phase playoffs: Feb. 17-18 and Feb. 24-25
Round of 16: March 10-11 and March 17-18
Quarterfinals: April 7-8 and April 14-15
Semifinals: April 28-29 and May 5-6
Final: May 30 (Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary)
The top eight finishers in the league phase earn a bye to the Round of 16. Teams that finish ninth through 24th will compete in the knockout phase playoffs.
UEFA Champions League odds
Odds to reach 2026 final (via BetMGM as of evening of Tuesday, Dec. 9)
Arsenal: +400
Bayern Munich: +450
Paris Saint-Germain: +650
Manchester City: +800
Real Madrid: +900
FC Barcelona: +900
Liverpool: +1100
Chelsea: +1600
Inter Milan: +2800
Atletico Madrid: +2800