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Possible Cristiano Ronaldo reunion for Real Madrid in Champions League, but beating Manchester City will be tough

Getty Images
Getty Images

Real Madrid's route to a 14th European Cup could not be more difficult.

Zinedine Zidane's side will meet the winners of Lyon and Juventus in the last eight of the Champions League and that could set up a remarkable reunion with their all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, but Los Blancos must first overcome Manchester City in the last 16.

City won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the teams' first leg game in late February, but the second match is yet to take place after the enforced break due to coronavirus.

Madrid will be without skipper Sergio Ramos after the defender was sent off in the 2-1 defeat at the Bernabeu and Zidane's unblemished Champions League record as coach is under serious threat against a City side who will be determined to succeed this year ahead of a two-season European ban.

Without their captain, Real face an uphill task in the return, which Uefa confirmed will be played in Manchester next month.

Juventus will also be at home to Lyon for their second leg and the Italian champions will look to turn over a 1-0 deficit from the first match in France.

If Madrid and Juve both advance, that would see Ronaldo reunited with the club he helped to four Champions League crowns in five seasons between 2014 and 2018.

However, there would be no return for the Portuguese to the Bernabeu as the ties will be played in Lisbon, where Real won the first of those titles and a 10th European Cup overall (La Decima) in 2014.

After that, Los Blancos could face Bayern Munich or Barcelona in the semi-finals, with Paris Saint-Germain or even Atletico possible opponents in the final.

All of that is still distant, though, and will only become a possibility if the LaLiga leaders can find a way past Pep Guardiola's side in Manchester next month.

"We have a lot of time to think about City," Real's director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno said after the draw.

"Winning LaLiga would give us a morale boost ahead of that tie. We're a solid and committed team.

"Let's hope we can be in Portugal for the final phase."

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