UEFA has agreed to Real Madrid's request to close the roof of the Santiago Bernabéu when it faces Manchester City in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
The two European heavyweights renew their rivalry for the third consecutive season, this time in the round of 16 after meeting in the semi-finals during 2021/22 and 2022/23.
City emerged victorious last season before beating Inter to win their first Champions League crown, while Madrid triumphed a year earlier before defeating Liverpool in Paris, a victory that sealed a record 14th European title.
Madrid had requested on Tuesday that the roof of its recently renovated 85,000-capacity home be closed and, following a meeting between match delegates and referee François Letexier, the decision was made to grant Madrid's wish. They were also granted permission to close the roof in the round of 16 match against RB Leipzig four weeks ago.
The short answer to why the roof is closed is because Madrid want to create a thunderous atmosphere that can provide the perfect backdrop for what many neutrals expect to be one of the most entertaining games of the season.
There is no UEFA ruling preventing Madrid from making such a request, nor can its previous rejections be used as a guide; It is essentially an incredibly rare practice because most purpose-built football stadiums around the world do not have a retractable roof.
Madrid clearly feel they have an advantage in containing the noise inside the stadium, so Pep Guardiola's challenge now will be to keep his players focused ahead of a fourth trip to the Spanish capital under his direction.
More information about the Champions League:
City's only victory with the Spaniard in Madrid came in February 2020, when Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne turned around the first leg of the round of 16 after Isco's first goal on the hour mark.
The two teams had to wait more than five months to play the second leg due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the suspension of football around the world, and City also emerged winners that night. They ended up being eliminated by Lyon in the quarter-finals when the rest of that season's competition was played in single-leg knockouts in Portugal.
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