Carlo Ancelotti requests Real Madrid change hotel for Manchester City clash for bizarre reason

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has taken the unusual step of requesting a change of hotel for the midweek visit to Manchester for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

The 14-time winners of the UEFA Champions League visit Manchester City on Wednesday evening, looking for their first victory at the Etihad Stadium, after three successive defeats in east Manchester.

Manchester City are bidding to knockout Real Madrid for the second consecutive season in midweek, having beaten the Spanish club 4-0 in the semi-final second-leg last year, as part of an historic treble and maiden Champions League trophy.

Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in the Champions League since a defeat to Real Madrid in May 2022, and will take a 3-3 draw into Wednesday’s return fixture, following an emphatic first-leg at the Santiago Bernabéu last Tuesday.

Bernardo Silva gave Manchester City an early lead, however quick-fire goals from Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo saw Real Madrid establish a 2-1 lead, only for second-half efforts from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol to see City move 2-3 ahead.

A 79th minute volley from Federico Valverde equalised for Los Blancos, with Manchester City without both Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker for the first-leg in the Spanish capital.

Real Madrid travelled to Manchester on Tuesday ahead of the return leg, with either Bayern Munich or Arsenal awaiting the winners in the semi-finals of the competition.

Carlo Ancelotti has requested a major change for this season’s visit to Manchester, with the Real Madrid manager having ordered a switch of City Centre hotels for the squad to stay in before and after the match.

Madrid Universal relay a report by Spanish journalist Edu Aguirre, who said that: “Ancelotti is superstitious. In the last two seasons, Real Madrid came here and lost twice, while they slept in a hotel different from this one. Ancelotti has now changed hotels because he wants to break the curse.”

Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that their squad would be staying at The Lowry hotel.