Manchester City will go into their Champions League clash with Real Madrid with a poor record in big games throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

Unexpectedly, Pep Guardiola’s men have substantially underperformed this season, sitting fifth in the Premier League table, with 12 games consisting of five draws and seven defeats.

Furthermore, the Citizens’ display in the Champions League group stage was far from the standards they have set since the Spaniard’s arrival – with the side narrowly avoiding a shock elimination in a dramatic game against Club Bruges.

However, the statistics reveal that the game might in fact be a tough ask for Guardiola and Co – because they will go into the match with a disappointing record in big games during the current campaign.

The Citizens have picked up only two victories in 14 clashes with big clubs, with four draws and eight defeats coming in 12 of the games.

Statistics reveal that Manchester City have picked up only two wins out of 14 big games so far this season

On Tuesday night, they are set to face the Champions League title holders Real Madrid

Their latest big game defeat came in a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in February 

Many of the underperformances have come in the Premier League, highlighted by their recent 5-1 loss against Arsenal at the Emirates, where the team lost control in the last 20 minutes.

Despite scoring an equaliser in the 55th minute through Erling Haaland’s effort, City conceded just a minute later as Arsenal regained the lead.

Several defensive errors have cost the team a significant number of points in the league, with Guardiola’s side having achieved 41 so far, behind Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea in the table.

The run started in the first match of the season, when the defending league champions could not beat their neighbours Manchester United in the Community Shield, claiming a victory on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

In October, City saw hopes of a Carabao Cup triumph disappear after a 2-1 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when Guardiola, with an injury-hit squad, refused to bring Haaland on the pitch.

Many pundits and fans believe Rodri’s injury, meanwhile, has significantly affected the Citizens’ poor season.

The 28-year-old has been out since September with an ACL injury, picked up during another drawn game against Arsenal, with the game ending 2-2.

Guardiola’s men managed to equaliser in the final minutes of the match with an effort from substitute John Stones following a corner as the Gunners played a large part of the game with 10 men.

They could only secure a place in the Champions League play-off stage in their last game against Club Bruges

Last October, the Citizens were knocked out of the Carabao Cup as they were beaten by Spurs

To improve things at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s side brought in several players, such as Omar Marmoush

Despite a minor injury picked up during City’s previous game, Nico Gonzalez is understood to be available for the showdown against Los Blancos

To turn things around, they brought in six players for a total fee of approximately £180million in January; Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Juma Bah and Christian McFarlane.

However, only the first three were added to the Champions League squad for the knock-out phase after debuting in recent games.

Marmoush and Gonzalez featured in City’s starting line-up against Leyton Orient on Saturday, but the Spaniard was subbed off in the 22nd minute following a minor injury. He is expected to be fit for the Madrid clash.

Meanwhile, Madrid will go into the game with an injury-hit defensive line, without Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba.