Carlo Ancelotti has made a bold prediction about this season’s Champions League winner as his Real Madrid prepare to face Manchester City in the first leg of a knockout play-off tie.

Madrid and City have won the last three Champions League titles between them and, while they have never faced each other in the showpiece finale, either one of them has reached eight of the last 11 finals that have been played in the competition.

Even though both struggled during the league phase, with City only securing a knockout berth on the final matchday, Ancelotti is predicting whichever club win this tie will win the whole thing.

“It is always a headache to face Manchester City. It will be a difficult game, hard to predict. It will depend a lot on the attitude and confidence of the teams. It’s such a high-level game you have to be at your best in every aspect,” Ancelotti explained to reporters.

“It seems like it’s a ‘Clasico’ because we have played each other a lot of times in this competition. It’s the most difficult game we can face, regardless of form. They are one of the best teams in Europe and they have the best manager out there. It’s a nightmare preparing for games against him because he always has ideas that make you think.

“I am convinced the team that goes through from this tie will go on to win the competition.”

Real Madrid and Manchester City have faced each in Champions League knockout ties in 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24. In the latter three, the winner of the tie was crowned European champions at the end of that particular campaign.

But in suggesting that either Madrid or City will win it, Ancelotti is equally counting out Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, all of whom are more fancied by bookmakers at this stage.