There’s something about Spain that continues to trouble Manchester City. For all their continental pedigree and domestic dominance under Pep Guardiola, the English champions have rarely found comfort on Iberian soil. The numbers tell their own story: just four wins, four draws, and nine defeats from 17 visits.

City’s uneasy relationship with Spain began back in 1969, when Malcolm Allison’s side drew 3-3 with Athletic Club in the Cup Winners’ Cup. The warning signs came soon after — a 2-1 defeat to Valencia in 1972 foreshadowed decades of difficulty in this corner of Europe.

Those struggles carried into the modern era. In 2008, Racing Santander — hardly a European powerhouse — stunned City 3-1 in a humbling night that many fans would rather forget.

The pain deepened in Catalonia and Madrid. Consecutive defeats to Barcelona (2-1, 1-0, and then a crushing 4-0 in 2016) exposed the gulf that still separated City from Europe’s elite. A narrow 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the 2016 semi-final and the 3-1 collapse at the Bernabéu in 2022 added further chapters to their Spanish frustration.

There have been bright moments — a 2-1 win over Real Madrid in 2020, a 4-0 demolition of Sevilla in 2022, and a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Atlético Madrid. But the most recent trip, a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in February 2025, was another reminder that Spain remains a land of ghosts for the blue half of Manchester.

Curiously, Villarreal has been one of the few bright spots. When City last visited La Cerámica in November 2011, they left with a commanding 3-0 victory — a performance that hinted at the rise to come.

Fourteen years later, they return to Castellón with bigger ambitions and higher expectations, hoping to impose the kind of control that has become the hallmark of Guardiola’s best sides.

Form suggests confidence should not be an issue. City sit second in the Premier League, and Erling Haaland is in blistering form, scoring 23 goals in 13 games across all competitions. Yet, Europe remains unpredictable: two wins, two defeats, and a draw in their last five continental outings reflect inconsistency.

Villarreal, meanwhile, are third in La Liga but faltering in Europe, winless in their last five games. Under Marcelino, however, they’ve turned La Cerámica into a fortress — compact, disciplined, and difficult to break down.

On Tuesday night, the lights will shine in Castellón once more. For Manchester City, the question remains: can they finally conquer their Spanish curse, or will old habits return to haunt them on Iberian soil?