On Wednesday evening we will see the latest instalment of a Champions League rivalry between two of the era's leading teams.

Real Madrid v Manchester City at the Bernabeu, in the second leg of their knockout play-off, pits the record 15-time champions of Europe against the 2023 winners (20:00 GMT kick-off).

Two of Europe's most successful managers in Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola will again go toe to toe.

A stellar playing cast will include Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham in one corner, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden in the other.

The stakes are high, with the winner of their meetings in the three previous seasons going on to lift the trophy.

A thrilling first leg lived up to its big billing, with Real twice coming from behind before Bellingham snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner to hand them a slender 3-2 advantage.

So could we be set for another classic encounter?

The teams have met 13 times in the Champions League since 2012-13, with both sides having won four matches each with five draws.

But it is the magnitude of some of those fixtures that has stoked up a level of antagonism between the clubs and their fans.

"It feels like a modern classic because we've been playing against each other in this competition for many years," Ancelotti said in the build-up to the tie.

"So much depends on attitude, individual quality, confidence and personality. It's such a high level that you have to bring out the best in every aspect of the game, not just one.

"Whoever goes through will have a good chance of going far in the competition, as has been the case in recent years."

Having lost 6-5 on aggregate to Real in the 2021-22 semi-finals, City then thrashed the Spanish giants 5-1 over two legs at the same stage a year later on their way to replacing them as European champions.

The sides were back at it in 2024 as Real fought a rearguard action in the second game of their quarter-final at Etihad Stadium before dramatically advancing after extra-time and a penalty shootout.

However, with both teams having failed to advance automatically to the last 16 as one of the top-eight sides in this year's new league phase, this will be the earliest that either side has been eliminated by the other in the knockout stages.

"It's not normal to play the same rivals all the time," added Guardiola.

An added twist to the rivalry came at last year's Ballon d'Or unveiling - when Real opted not to send anyone to the ceremony where City linchpin Rodri was named the world's best player ahead of Vinicius.

Guardiola insisted City felt "absolutely" no ill feeling towards Real over that apparent snub prior to last Tuesday's first leg.

However, the fact the City fans unfurled a huge banner referencing the situation - "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" - alongside a picture of the currently injured Spain midfielder kissing his trophy suggested otherwise.

Ancelotti, who has the nickname of 'Don Carlo' in Spain, is the most successful manager in European Cup and Champions League history, having won the trophy a record five times.

He is also the only manager to reach six finals and, like Guardiola, is one of seven men to have won the tournament as both a player and a manager having triumphed twice with AC Milan in 1989 and 1990.

The 65-year-old also holds the distinction of being the only manager to win league titles in all of Europe's big five leagues - England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

Like the Italian, Guardiola has also scooped major honours in stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, winning La Liga and the Bundesliga three times apiece and the Premier League on six occasions.

"Guardiola is a coach who has brought a lot to football, an innovator, and I have a lot of respect for him," Ancelotti added.

"He's one of the best, if not the best. Every time we play against each other, it's a nightmare to prepare for the games, because he always has ideas that make you think."

Guardiola's coaching spell at the Nou Camp was also notable for delivering one of the greatest club teams of the modern era - featuring Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi - amid fierce competition from a star-studded Real squad.

The 54-year-old is level with Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane on three European Cup wins as manager.

He has the edge on Ancelotti when it comes to their head-to-head contests, having had six victories to the Italian's four, with Guardiola's teams scoring 28 goals and conceding 21 in their 13 matches.

In mitigation, Ancelotti could point to the fact that 12 goals against and four of those defeats arrived while he was managing Everton, a club with disparate ambitions to both Real and City.