Manuel Pellegrini has not enjoyed much managerial success against Man City's fellow Champions League semi-finalists.
City will find out their opponent in the last four on Friday, with Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid still in the hat.
But while Pellegrini, who has managed in La Liga with Villarreal, Real and Malaga, has plenty of experience against Spanish opposition, he owns a losing record against both Atletico and Real.
The Chilean has won just nine of his 33 matches against the Madrid clubs across La Liga and Champions League action.
That gives him a win rate of 33 per cent against Atleti and just 20 per cent against former club Real.
Having never managed in Germany, Pellegrini has faced Bayern Munich just four times in European competition, winning and losing twice each.
Their most recent meeting came during last season's group stage, when City lost 1-0 at the Allianz Arena before securing a dramatic 3-2 win at the Etihad.
And looking at City's record against their possible semi-final opponents more generally, history suggests Bayern could be their best bet.
They have won three of their six matches against the Bundesliga champions, including an impressive 3-2 win in Germany three years ago.
But the prospect of Bayern brings Pellegrini up against his successor at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola.
Meanwhile, City have failed to beat Real Madrid in their two previous attempts, losing narrowly at the Bernabeu in 2012, before Karim Benzema's early goal in a 1-1 draw knocked them out at the group stage in the return fixture in Manchester.
Should Atletico Madrid be paired with City, it would provide the first meeting between the two clubs in European competition.