Another UEFA Champions League clash means another chance to reckon with the on-field excellence and financial firepower of two of Europe’s most-feared clubs.
Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City and reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid have met in the UEFA Champions League — the richest, most prestigious competition in global club sports — eight times. Their records? Three wins each, plus two draws.
No, unless they tied literally every time, it quite literally doesn’t get closer than that. So, with both juggernaut soccer clubs running it back once again in the 2022-23 Champions League semifinals starting May 8, it’s only fair that we take a closer look at what actually sets them apart as it relates to key areas like club structure, global business impact, transfer spending, player salary spending, and the all-important trophy case.
Let’s talk Real Madrid vs. Man City before these two heavyweights start throwing proverbial haymakers on the pitch once again.
Man City vs. Real Madrid at a Glance
| Real Madrid CF | CLUB | Manchester City FC |
| 1902 | FOUNDED | 1880 |
| Santiago Bernabéu (81,044) | STADIUM | Etihad Stadium |
| Supporters association | OWNER | Abu Dhabi United Group |
| Carlo Ancelotti | MANAGER | Pep Guardiola |
| Karim Benzema | CAPTAIN | İlkay Gündoğan |
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Financial Footprint
Transfer figures and estimated market values are via Transermarkt unless otherwise noted.
| Real Madrid | CLUB | Man City |
| $5.1 billion (No. 1) | FORBES VALUATION (Global rank) | $4.25 billion (No. 6) |
| $5.23 billion (No. 2) | SPORTICO VALUATION (Global rank) | $4.43 billion (No. 6) |
| Eden Hazard ($126.8 million) | RECORD TRANSFER BUY | Jack Grealish ($129.5 million) |
| Cristiano Ronaldo ($129 million) | RECORD TRANSFER SALE | Raheem Sterling ($61.9 million) |
| $949.14 million | EST. ROSTER MARKET VALUE | $1.16 billion |
| Vinicius Junior ($132.31 million) | EST. NO. 1 PLAYER MARKET VALUE | Erling Haaland ($187.45 million) |
Go Deeper:
- Everything You Need to Know About Cristiano Ronaldo’s Transfer from Real Madrid to Al-Nassr
- Everything You Need to Know About Raheem Sterling’s Transfer from Man City to Chelsea
- Inside Vinicius Junior’s Real Madrid Contract Details
- Inside Erling Haaland’s Manchester City Contract Details
Man City vs. Real Madrid: Salaries, Contracts & Wage Spending
All financial figures via Capology.
| Manchester City | CLUB | Real Madrid |
| $224.5 million | ANNUAL TEAM WAGES | $310.37 million |
| $4.32 million | WEEKLY TEAM WAGES | $5.97 million |
| Kevin De Bruyne ($25.08 million) | HIGHEST 2022-23 SALARY | Eden Hazard ($33.74 million) |
| Erling Haaland ($23.5 million) | NO. 1 FORWARD SALARY | Hazard |
| De Bruyne | NO. 1 MIDFIELDER SALARY | Toni Kroos ($26.35 million) |
| John Stones ($15.68 million) | NO. 1 DEFENDER SALARY | David Alaba ($24.29 million) |
| $179,881 | AVG. WEEKLY PLAYER SALARY | $259,511 |
Go Deeper:
- The Highest-paid La Liga Players of 2022-23
- The Highest-paid Premier League Players of 2022-23
- Manchester City Salaries & Contracts Overview
- Real Madrid Salaries & Contracts Overview
Club Trophies & Milestones
| Man City | CLUB | Real Madrid |
| 8 | DOMESTIC LEAGUE | 35 |
| 6 | DOMESTIC CUP | 20 |
| 0 | UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | 14 |
| 0 | UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE | 2 |
| 0 | FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP | 5 |
| Alan Oakes (676) | MOST APPEARANCES | Raúl (741) |
| Sergio Agüero (260) | MOST GOALS | Cristiano Ronaldo (450) |
| Pep Guardiola (195*) | WINNINGEST MANAGER | Miguel Muñoz (357) |
*Guardiola is Manchester City’s current manager as of this writing; win total is current through May 8, 2023.
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