I do not think Real Madrid will have easy time in Champions League with their current team. They have history of doing well in tournament but last year they got lucky because of mistakes made by other teams. They also won some games at very last minute. Other teams like Bayern Munich could have won if they made different decisions. This means Real Madrid did not just win because they were best but also because of things outside of their control. So I think they will face problems in Champions League with their current team.
Did any team ever have an easy time winning the Champions League? As far as I can remember, no team ever went through the Champions League as if there was no real competition. All the titles that Real Madrid won over the course of the last decade came with a lot of luck and a lot of effort. Some of the titles could have gone either way. Think about all the last second goals they scored or the times when there was no VAR and scored offside goals against Bayern Munich.
It doesn't matter what the name of your team is, whether that be Manchester City or Real Madrid, the Champions League remains the hardest competition by far. Otherwise Manchester City would have won the title more often, but they didn't and that says a lot about the level of the tournament and all the minor details that play a role for the final outcome.
You are completely right, no team has really had an easy journey to winning the Champions League title so far. Real Madrid is the most fortunate team with its efforts and good performance, that's why they dominate the title until now. Manchester City is just a favorite team every season, but their mentality is not as good as Real Madrid.
I really think that Manchester City can repeat its success in the Champions League again this season. They looked strong at the start of the season, but we definitely don't know what will happen next, especially in the competition in the Champions League. Real Madrid are also favorites, but they should not win the title this season as their fans hope.