Real Madrid legend Emilio Butragueno has insisted he is really excited to face Manchester City once again in the Champions League.
Marca covered the Real Madrid icon's comments today. It seems he is not tired of facing Manchester City yet.
The draw pits the two sides against each other in the last 16 of the Champions League. Manchester City head to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first leg and host the Spanish giants at the Etihad a week later.
This is the fourth consecutive season they will face each other. This is the seventh time in seven years that the two giants have met in the knockout stage of the competition.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City again
However, as far as butragueño is concerned, there is nothing stale about it. Instead, he emphasizes that general excitement remains before the confrontation.
"We're really excited about it," he said.
“This competition means a lot to us, and we have full confidence in the ability of our players and that they will rise to the challenge.”
The rivalry is extremely balanced at the moment. In their 15 meetings so far in the Champions League, both sides have recorded five wins and five draws each.
Real Madrid knocked out Manchester City last season With a 6–3 win in the knockout stage. Last year, the Spanish team advanced on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the quarter-finals.
equal record
However, Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 4–0 at the Etihad in 2023, after a 1–1 draw in the first leg. That win came in the semi-finals and Pep Guardiola's side secured their first title. Butragueño is expecting another top game.
"We know each other very well," he said.
"They have a great team, not just a great team. They have a great team and that gives Guardiola a lot of options."
"Whenever we play them, it's always an attacking game, with two teams looking to dominate, which usually results in a lot of goals. (It's) one of the best matches you can see in the world."
