Category World News

Real Madrid vs Man City: Champions League preview – teams, start, lineups

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Who: Real Madrid vs Manchester City
What: UEFA Champions League
Where: Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain
When: Wednesday, December 10, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso faces mounting pressure before Wednesday’s Champions League group-stage meeting against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but the Spaniard was confident the team could turn their poor form around.

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Alonso, a former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder, took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the end of last season, but has struggled to impress with a side that also underachieved last season.

In their way on Wednesday are a City side led by a former Barcelona midfielder and manager in Guardiola, adding to the weight of expectation on the match.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the League Phase encounter.

How do Real Madrid and Man City stand in the Champions League?

Real are fifth in the Champions League standings on 12 points, three behind leaders Arsenal. City are ninth on 10 points, chasing a top-eight finish that would secure direct qualification to the last 16.

What happened in Real Madrid’s last match?

Real were beaten 2-0 on Sunday by Celta Vigo with Real reduced to nine players after defenders Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras were sent off.

It left the club second in La Liga with 36 points, four behind leaders Barcelona, while Los Blancos have now only won two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

Adding to Alonso’s challenges, Madrid could be without as many as eight key players, including top-scorer Kylian Mbappe, who missed training on Tuesday with a muscle injury.

If Mbappe is unable to play against City on Wednesday, it would be a big blow for coach Xabi Alonso, with Spanish media reporting that a defeat would lead to his dismissal.

What happened in Man City’s last match?

City stormed to 3-0 win against Sunderland in the English top flight on Saturday to maintain their chances of lifting a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.

Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden netted the goals that handed City a third straight Premier League win.

What has Madrid manager Alonso said about his Real challenge?

Despite their disappointing run in recent weeks, Alonso remains optimistic.

“Football can change quickly … for good or for bad,” Alonso told a news conference on Tuesday. “After the Celta match, we’ve already drawn our conclusions.

“Now it’s just City in our minds. It’s the Champions League, we’re at the Bernabeu. It will be different because of the energy that’s created. That’s what’s on our minds, what’s ahead of us.

“We’re all in this together. United. Convinced that this is an opportunity. We need to have the energy to connect with the Bernabeu. If that happens, we have a chance to win.

“In football, you have to adapt and learn. Some days are good, others are not,” he added.

“But we are making progress with every match. Good thing we have a challenge tomorrow. The best way to move forward is to face it. It’s a challenge that we must rise to.”

Is Alonso’s position at Real Madrid truly under threat?

Asked whether his job could be at risk if Real falter against City, Alonso remained defiant.

“When you coach Real Madrid, you have to be prepared for situations like this. We are a team, we are all united,” he said.

“To reverse the disappointment, which is normal, all we’re thinking about now is City.”

Guardiola offers support to former employee Alonso

In between managing Barcelona and Manchester City, Guardiola coached Bayern Munich, where Alonso was a player for his fellow Spaniard.

“I only wish him the best, I love and appreciate him,” Guardiola said.

“Every team is different and Xabi knows what he has to do. It is a process and let us see how this ends.

“A season is a rollercoaster, there are injuries and things happen. Since coaching at Barcelona, I wanted the team to grow from October and then see what happens and how it ends.”

Stat attack – Mbappe vs Haaland

Mbappe’s absence would be a significant blow for Alonso’s team, with the Frenchman leading both the LaLiga and Champions League scoring charts this season.

The 26-year-old striker has scored 25 goals in 21 matches across all competitions this season and has been Madrid’s key player.

Mbappe against Haaland first happened in the round of 16 in February 2020. Newly arrived at Borussia Dortmund, Haaland scored two in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain and revealed his “Zen” goal celebration, sitting down cross-legged as if meditating. Mbappe and PSG won in Paris to advance 3-2 on aggregate score.

Last season, in the knockout playoffs in February, Mbappe scored four times, including a hat-trick in the second leg as Madrid beat Man City in both games, despite Haaland’s two goals in the first leg.

Mbappe’s four goals at Olympiakos last month lifted him to be top scorer in the Champions League this season. He needs one more to reach 10 in a Champions League season for the first time during his decade in the competition.

Haaland has five so far, and already got into double figures in three Champions League campaigns.

Head-to-head

Wednesday’s clash will be the 13th meeting between the clubs in the past decade, a rivalry that has intensified as Real and City combined to claim three of the last four Champions League titles.

Real won the competition in 2022 and 2024, beating City en route to both titles, while the English side lifted their maiden Champions League trophy in 2023 after overcoming the Spanish club in the semifinal that year.

Real Madrid team news

Real Madrid’s French superstar Kylian Mbappe did not come out to train with his teammates on Tuesday on the eve of his team’s key Champions League clash against City.

The forward broke a finger during the defeat by Celta Vigo in La Liga on Sunday, and Madrid have said his absence from training was because of that injury, but also other discomfort he suffered in that match.

The 26-year-old joins an already packed injury list that includes Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga.

Manchester City team news

Defender John Stones missed the win against Sunderland with an unspecified injury.

City will definitely be without Mateo Kovacic and Rodri, who remain injury absentees.

Predicted Real Madrid starting lineup

Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras; Tchouameni, Ceballos; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Garcia

Predicted Manchester City starting lineup

US judge approves bid to unseal Epstein grand jury documents

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A United States federal judge has ruled that the Department of Justice can release grand jury documents from the sex trafficking case of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

District Judge Paul Engelmayer said on Tuesday that he would allow the publication of the documents but cautioned that there is little new information in them.

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“They do not discuss or identify any client of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s,” Engelmayer wrote. “They do not reveal any heretofore unknown means or methods of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s crimes.”

Grand jury materials often contain court transcripts: They do not represent the full investigative file the Department of Justice may have.

Generally, they are sealed to protect witness testimony and ensure the fair administration of justice, since grand juries often decide whether or not a case proceeds to trial.

But a new law has allowed Epstein-related files — even secret grand jury materials — to be released to the public.

In November, the US Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which creates an exemption to the secrecy surrounding grand jury materials.

That law was signed by US President Donald Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his own relationship with the late Epstein, a financier who died by suicide in 2019.

Trump initially urged Republican lawmakers to reject the law, despite growing calls for greater transparency.

But in mid-November, he reversed course, calling on congressional Republicans to vote in favour of the act. “We have nothing to hide,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.

The Trump administration had previously petitioned to unseal grand jury documents related to Epstein in July, but those requests were denied.

Some legal experts at the time called Trump’s petitions a “distraction” and warned that the grand jury transcripts were unlikely to reveal the full breadth of the government’s investigation into Epstein.

Engelmayer appeared to echo that assessment in Tuesday’s ruling. He noted that the grand jury materials “do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor”.

He is the second judge to allow the publication of Epstein-related grand jury materials following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

His ruling follows a similar decision by a judge in Florida last Friday allowing for the release of grand jury transcripts.

Earlier this year, Engelmayer had rejected a Trump administration request to publish grand jury materials, citing the strict legal protections surrounding grand jury proceedings.

But some survivors of Epstein’s crimes have said full transparency is necessary.

Speaking to The Associated Press through her lawyer Sigrid S McCawley, one of Epstein’s accusers, Annie Farmer, said she is “is wary of the possibility that any denial of the motions may be used by others as a pretext or excuse for continuing to withhold crucial information concerning Epstein’s crimes”.

Some officials have expressed reluctance about releasing unfiltered Epstein files, citing the risks to victims.

In Tuesday’s decision, Engelmayer addressed that concern and required US Attorney Jay Clayton to review all grand jury materials before their release, to ensure no victims would have their privacy violated.

Maxwell’s legal team, meanwhile, has argued that releasing the grand jury transcripts would be prejudicial to their client. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.

A November Reuters/Ipsos poll found that just 20 percent of people in the US approve of Trump’s handling of matters related to Epstein, with whom he enjoyed a close relationship for years.

The poll found that 70 percent of people believe that the government is covering up information about Epstein’s alleged “client list”, detailing his relationships with powerful figures.

The case has become a stand-in for the belief that political and economic elites enjoy a sense of impunity and suffer few consequences for their crimes.

Tony Blair ruled out of Trump’s proposed Gaza ‘peace board’: Report

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Tony Blair has been dropped from consideration for a role on a proposed US-led “board of peace” for Gaza after objections from Arab and Muslim governments, the Financial Times (FT) newspaper has reported.

Blair was the only figure named for the board when Donald Trump announced a 20-point plan to end Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza in September, with the US president describing the former UK prime minister as a “very good man”.

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Blair praised the plan as “bold and intelligent” and signalled he was willing to serve on the board, which would be chaired by Trump himself.

But diplomats from several Arab and Muslim states objected to Blair’s involvement, the FT reported on Monday.

As British Prime Minister, Blair strongly supported the US-led so-called “war on terror” and sent tens of thousands of British troops to join the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which was launched based on false claims that Iraq’s then leader, Saddam Hussein, had developed weapons of mass destruction.

In the Middle East region, Blair remains widely viewed as partially responsible for the war’s devastation.

Since leaving office in 2007, he has set up the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), which has worked with governments accused of repression to help improve their image.

His institute was also involved with a project, led by Israeli business figures, developing “day-after” plans for Gaza alongside Israeli business figures.

The project included proposals for a coastal resort dubbed the “Trump Riviera” and a manufacturing hub named after Elon Musk – ideas critics said ignore human rights and threaten Palestinians with displacement.

There was no immediate comment from Blair’s office. An ally quoted by the FT rejected claims that opposition from regional governments had forced him out of Trump’s planned “peace board”, insisting discussions were ongoing.

Another source said Blair could still return in “a different capacity”, noting he is favoured by both Washington and Tel Aviv.

UK’s MI5 protected IRA agent who committed murders, police report finds

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The United Kingdom’s domestic intelligence agency MI5 protected an IRA double agent who committed murders during Northern Ireland’s Troubles and later avoided prosecution, a major investigation has found.

The findings are from Operation Kenova, a nearly decade-long police probe into “Stakeknife” – the codename for a senior IRA figure who also worked as an informant for British security services.

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He operated during The Troubles, the conflict in Northern Ireland between Irish republicans seeking a united Ireland and British forces and unionist paramilitaries who wanted to remain in the UK.

About 3,500 people were killed in the violence before it ended with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Stakeknife led the IRA’s internal security unit, which abducted, interrogated and killed people suspected of informing – while secretly passing intelligence to the British.

Investigators said MI5 allowed the agent to continue committing serious crimes, blaming a “perverse sense of loyalty” that meant he was never held to account.

The report said MI5 even twice removed the agent from Northern Ireland on “holidays” despite knowing he was wanted by police for conspiracy to murder and false imprisonment.

Stakeknife has never been formally identified, but he is widely believed to have been Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci.

He has been linked to 14 murders and 15 abductions. Scappaticci died in 2023. He admitted being in the IRA but denied working for British intelligence.

Operation Kenova also criticised MI5 for delaying the release of key documents, saying several incidents could be seen as attempts to “restrict the investigation, run down the clock, avoid any prosecutions … and conceal the truth”.

MI5 Director General Ken McCallum apologised for the late disclosure and offered sympathies to victims and their families.

The report said there is a “compelling ethical case” to publicly name Stakeknife and called on the UK government to apologise to bereaved families and survivors.

The 40-million-pound ($53m) investigation examined 101 murders and abductions linked to the unit.

‘They broke his neck’: Families of Syria’s disappeared still seek closure

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A nation still searching

A year after Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell on December 8, 2024, Syrians are still searching for the truth.

The portraits that hung from lampposts have been replaced by the faces of the missing, photocopied pictures taped to shopfronts and walls. Families have searched graveyards and abandoned prisons, hoping a scrap of fabric or a piece of paper might give them answers.

People hold pictures of Syrian missing persons at a protest outside the Hijaz train station in Damascus on December 15, 2024, demanding accountability [Bakr Alkasem/AFP]

Over 13 years of war, which killed more than half a million people and displaced half the country, the regime and its allies disappeared between 120,000 and 300,000 people, according to the government’s National Commission for the Missing.

The system that disappeared them was deliberate – a web of informants, secret police, files and fear. Arrests were made without warrants, over a neighbour’s grudge, a relative’s rumour, or a bribe.

In the days after the regime’s collapse, some Syrians celebrated. Others ran to the prisons. At Sednaya Prison, people grabbed whatever documents they could, as papers were trampled into the ground and crucial evidence disappeared underfoot. Families searched for loved ones, even beneath the floors – what they found were ropes, chains, and electric cables.

Only a few families were reunited after al-Assad’s fall.

For the rest, grief and hope coexist as the whereabouts of the disappeared remain unknown.

The new government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has pledged to uncover the truth. In May 2025, decrees created the National Commission for the Missing and the National Commission for Transitional Justice. Advisory boards have been appointed, and legislation is being drafted.

But progress is slow in a nation stripped of laboratories, specialists, and funds. Officials admit they face a mammoth task: building a national database, recruiting forensic experts, establishing DNA capacity – and finding the dead before time and decay erase them.

Families search Syria’s Sednaya Prison for loved ones
Syrians dig after rumour spread of underground cells beneath Sednaya Prison, infamous for torture under the toppled al-Assad regime [File: Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency]

On the ground, the work has fallen largely on those who once pulled survivors from rubble, the White Helmets, volunteers for the Syria Civil Defence (SCD).

They photograph and document, noting fragments of identity like clothing, teeth, bones. Each set of remains is boxed and sent to an identification centre. There, the process stops. The boxes of bones stay sealed. According to the White Helmets, no family has been reunited with the remains of the disappeared.

Officials and humanitarian workers say that without DNA laboratories, forensic specialists, or a functioning identification system, the bones can only be stored, even when families are sure they know who they are.

On November 5, the National Commission for the Missing signed a cooperation agreement with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Officials say these institutions will investigate past crimes, build a national database of the missing, support families, and, eventually, identify and return remains.

The cooperation agreement was billed as the start of a comprehensive national process for truth and justice, committing all parties to share expertise and help build the backbone of an identification system.

The task is vast. There are no reliable official figures; estimates of the disappeared range from 120,000 to 300,000 people, numbers compiled from various sources without a unified database.

Before anyone can be identified, the state must gather what already exists – detention registers, civil documents, military files, and lists held by opposition groups and by survivor associations like the Caesar Families, Families for Freedom and the Sednaya Association.

Then they must collect testimonies from survivors and families, and coax information from former officials and guards who may know where people were taken or buried. All this must be uploaded into a central database that has not yet been built.

“You cannot start immediately searching, looking for answers,” says Zeina Shahla, a member of the government’s National Commission for the Missing. “You need to set up the ground.”

Right now, Syria has only a single identification centre in Damascus, set up with the ICRC, but no dedicated DNA laboratory. Offices in other cities are promised, but not yet open.

“We have huge needs – technical needs, financial needs, human resources,” Shahla says.

“Most of them are not available in Syria, especially the … scientific resources. We don’t have DNA labs. We don’t have the forensic labs. We don’t have the doctors. So we need a lot of resources.

“And of course, this fight is too complicated because it’s affecting millions of people. We need to work fast, but at the same time, we cannot work fast.”

A Syrian woman holds up posters showing her missing sons.
Ibtissam al-Nadaf, who said she is still mourning two sons, one killed by a sniper during the siege of al-Assali, the other disappeared into Sednaya Prison in 2018, holds her sons’ photos at Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria [File: Reuters/Zohra Bensemra]

The officials point to the scale of the wreckage. Thirteen years of war, hundreds of thousands missing, institutions hollowed out by sanctions.

Many have not even reported their missing, still afraid of what doing so might invite. Around one in five Syrians now lives abroad, scattering the reference samples needed to match the dead to the living.

Some families of the disappeared feel they are at the bottom of the state’s list of priorities. Others, like the Caesar Families Association, understand this process takes time.