Jude Bellingham, who had scored at the Etihad Stadium in a 2-1 defeat for Dortmund, was invited into the City dressing room and presented with a shirt. However, despite this gesture, the 20-year-old opted to join the 14-time European champions in a £115m deal. Bellingham has since enjoyed a successful debut season in the Spanish capital, with 20 goals and 10 assists from an advanced midfield role.

In the previous season, City had defeated Real 4-0 at the Etihad after a 1-1 draw in Madrid, avenging a previous frustrating exit. The two sides are now meeting for the third successive season, with Real hoping that Bellingham can help them gain revenge for their last season’s exit and eliminate the holders and Treble winners. The upcoming match presents an opportunity for Bellingham to demonstrate why he made the right decision in choosing Madrid over Manchester, should Real succeed in knocking out City.