By now, Real Madrid and Manchester City have met so often in the Champions League that Florentino Perez and Khaldoon Al Mubarak have a distinctive relationship. Close observers have noted how the City chair can act deferentially towards the elder figure, while Perez adopts an intrigued demeanour.
It’s all rather superficial, of course. The two have been on opposite sides of one of the main divides in the modern game, and the rest of football knows how hard-line both clubs can become.
