Manchester City will meet Real Madrid in the Champions League for a fifth straight season after being handed an away tie against the Spanish giants in the league phase draw.

City have previously face Madrid in the knockout stages — winning once across two legs and losing three times. Pep Guardiola’s side were also drawn to face Borussia Dortmund (H), Bayer Leverkusen (H), Villarreal (A), Napoli (H), Bodo/Glimt (A), Galatasaray (H) and AS Monaco (A).

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City are looking to put last season’s forgettable campaign behind them, which included a string of limp displays in the Champions League. An below-par performance in the league phase meant they needed to come from behind against Club Brugge to edge their way into the knockouts. However, they drew Madrd in the knockout stages for a fourth straight year and were soon dumped from the competition.

Guardiola and City know they are capable of better: they ended their hoodoo and won the competition as part of a historic treble in 2023.

Man City’s Champions League draw in full

Sept. 18: Napoli (H)
Oct. 1: AS Monaco (A)
Oct. 21: Villarreal (A)
Nov. 5: Borussia Dortmund (H)
Nov. 25: Bayer Leverkusen (H)
Dec. 10: Real Madrid (A)
Jan. 20: Bodo/Glimt (A)
Jan. 28: Galatasaray (H)