Manchester City's women's team have won just two of 11 previous meetings with Spanish opposition. Both were home victories over Barcelona, in 2021 and three years later. Now Real Madrid come to town in the Champions League, and the record is there for all to see.
Andrée Jeglertz's side have started the season in ominous form, making it four wins from four to open their WSL title defence. Alex Greenwood's solitary goal at the Valley was enough to see off Charlton Athletic on Saturday. The only blemish so far was their Champions League opener nine nights ago, when they found themselves 2-0 down against Bayern Munich at Sportpark Unterhaching. Beth Mead halved the deficit, Bunny Shaw missed a spot-kick, and Carlotta Wamser salvaged a draw late on. A point rescued rather than two dropped, perhaps.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, drew their own matchday one fixture, held by Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano. They had taken a second-minute lead through Felicia Schröder in Valdebebas. Schröder has scored in all three of Madrid's Champions League matches this season, including both legs of the qualifying win over Ajax. The Swedish striker is clearly the danger.
Pau Quesada made four changes for Madrid's 5-3 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday. Sara Däbritz and Lineth Beerensteyn were also on target, alongside Schröder. But Madrid's European pedigree is modest: seventh in last season's league phase, past Paris FC in the first knockout round, then beaten by Barcelona in the quarter-finals. They have never gone beyond that stage.
City, by contrast, know what it takes to go deep. Jeglertz made five changes for the Charlton win, and Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and top-scorer Bunny Shaw are among those likely to return. The squad depth is there. Whether it translates into a first win over Spanish opposition since that Barcelona victory three years ago is another matter.
Madrid face seven-in-a-row champions Barça Femeni at Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday. A daunting trip either side of this one. City, meanwhile, host struggling Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday. The defending champions will fancy their chances.
For City, this is a chance to put down a marker in Europe. For Madrid, it is a test of whether they can finally break their quarter-final ceiling. The Spanish hoodoo hangs over City, but records are there to be broken.