Is Éder Militão playing today? Where to watch Real Madrid vs Manchester City in the Champions League today By Carolina Costa
3 min read
 |
Real Madrid hosts Manchester City this Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in the sixth round of the UEFA Champions League league phase. The confrontation takes place at Estádio Santiago Bernabéu, at Madri, Espanha, starting at 5pm at Brasília time.
Éder The Brazilian defender is undergoing a recovery period estimated at three to four months.
Xabi Alonso leads the team under pressure after irregular results, while Pep Guardiola seeks victory to improve City’s position in the table.
- Real Madrid occupies sixth place with 12 points.
- Manchester City is 12th with 10 points.
- Recent history includes a 3-1 win in February.
Injury to Éder Militão worsens defensive crisis
Éder Militão suffered the injury in the 21st minute of the game against Celta of Exames confirmed rupture in the muscle with involvement of the proximal tendon.
This absence adds to others in the defensive sector, such as Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Dean Huijsen. Real Madrid improvises with Federico Valverde on the right flank and Raúl Asencio in defense.
Coach Xabi Alonso adjusted training to reinforce defensive compactness. The team focuses on quick transitions to compensate for casualties.
Antonio Rüdiger takes the lead in defense, with experience in decisive Champions games.
Confirmed lineup highlights improvisations at Real
Thibaut Courtois starts in goal for Real Madrid in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The defense has Valverde, Asencio, Rüdiger and Álvaro Carreras.
Aurélien Tchouaméni and Jude Bellingham form the midfielder duo. Rodrygo, Dani Ceballos and Vinícius Júnior support Gonzalo García in attack.
Kylian Mbappé, recovered from muscle discomfort, stays on the bench for gradual entry. The strategy prioritizes initial possession of the ball.
In Manchester City, Gianluigi Donnarumma defends in 4-3-3 with Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly in defense.
City attack exploits Merengues’ weaknesses
Erling Haaland leads the visiting attack with nine goals in the European season. The Norwegian scored in four league games.
Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku complete the trio, with key assists in recent duels. Pep Guardiola adjusted the team after losing to Bayer Leverkusen.
City records an average of two goals per match in the competition. The team seeks to explore counterattacks against Real’s improvised defense.
Bernardo Silva organizes the midfield with high precision in passes.
Where to watch the decisive clash live
The match is broadcast on TNT for pay TV subscribers on Brasil, with pre-game starting at 4:30 pm. HBO Max offers live streaming via app.
In other countries, options include Paramount+ on Estados Unidos and DAZN on América Latina. UEFA provides official coverage across multiple platforms.
Narrators follow plays with real-time statistics, such as ball possession and shots on goal.
ESPN Radio broadcasts narration to listeners without visual access.
History balances forces between teams
Real Madrid and Manchester City face each other for the 15th time in Champions, with six wins each and two draws. The last game ended 3-1 for the Whites.
In Madri, Real won four of the seven clashes, scoring 12 goals against nine. The rivalry has intensified since the semifinals in 2016.
Both have 15 European titles. The current league format allows for frequent reunions.
Average goals in duels reaches 3.2 per match.
Alonso tactics aim to overcome absences
Xabi Alonso adopts medium block to neutralize City’s attack. Treinos focused on selective pressure and quick ball recovery.
Without Éder Militão, the defense prioritizes compact positioning. Substituições like Arda Güler can change the rhythm.
Pep Guardiola responds with lateral reversals to create numerical superiority. City plans 65% ownership.
The tactical duel starts off balanced, with real-time adjustments.
Classification puts pressure on a positive result
Real Madrid is looking for victory to enter the top-4 and guarantee a direct place in the round of 16. With 12 points, a stumble could force playoffs.
Manchester City, with 10 points, needs to score to move up the table. A victory equates the English with the leaders.
The top eight advance straight after eight rounds. Gols out decide tiebreakers.
Both teams have scored 22 goals in the competition so far.
