Champions League Playoff: Can Manchester City Salvage Their Season?

The American football season may now be over, but the drama in Europe’s club football season, aka soccer, is just heating up. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad has been England’s most dominant club, with six home league trophies in the past seven years and a Champions League title in 2023. But this year’s campaign has been a struggle, as they sit five spots back in the English Premier League and barely qualified for the Champions League playoff. And now, having drawn defending champions Real Madrid in their first playoff matchup, things won’t get any easier. 

So with the two teams playing the first of two legs on Tuesday, Luis Miguel Echegaray tells Clinton Yates what to watch for in yet another clash between these two storied clubs. Will City’s recent $223 million spending spree help them right the ship? Can Real Madrid overcome their own crucial injuries? Has Kylian Mbappé finally found his groove in Madrid? 

Plus, a look at how this tournament is a crucial part of World Cup 2026 preparation for Christian Pulisic and other American players. 

Previous coverage on Atalanta’s emotional journey through the pandemic: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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