Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, has said Manchester City’s elimination from the Champions League would be good news for them.
According to Ancelotti, City and Real are still “one of the candidates” to win the competition.
The Italian was speaking following Madrid’s 5-1 drubbing of Salzburg on Wednesday.
The win saw the holders confirm their spot in the play-offs, and they could yet make the top eight.
However, on the same night, City threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain.
The result leaves Pep Guardiola’s men in 25th position with only seven points, after three losses and a draw in their last four games.
“Yes,” Ancelotti told reporters when asked if City failing to progress from the league phase would be good news.
“Because Manchester City are still, for me, one of the candidates to win the Champions League again.”
In the last three seasons, Madrid and City have played each other in the Champions League knockout stage, including when Ancelotti’s men won the trophy in 2022 and 2024.