Pep Guardiola challenges Manchester City to prove they are still a “special” team against Real Madrid
Pep Guardiola hopes Manchester City will prove they are still on the “special” side when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The city must overcome the real thing in a two-legged playoff tie to secure their place in the final 16 of the competition after finishing 22nd in the newly rebumped league phase.
In fact, the 2023 winners had to beat Club Bruges in the final group game to avoid the end of the competition entirely, but they finished fifth in the Premier League in previous poor seasons.
Advances Tuesday’s first leg at Etihad, Guardiola said: A draw is a draw and (we) accept the challenge. ”
“We’re playing the second game because the group stage wasn’t enough. We didn’t deserve it (to go straight to the last 16).
However, the city boss insisted: “Our teams have something special.
“We don’t deny trust that we have given players that have given us an incredible decade, and players who have won so many things and are at a high standard. We know what we can do.
“Of course, we’re going to prepare as a team today. What we’re trying to challenge and hopefully it works well.”
Reuben, this may be the most difficult season ever since I was here, but I firmly believe in the most difficult scenario that you can still achieve beautiful things. We know it’s difficult to get there, but we have to believe what we have… pic.twitter.com/fgyjroz9ax
– Manchester City (@mancity) February 10, 2025
Rivals between City and Real Madrid
The playoff tie is the fourth consecutive season when City and Real pulled each other in the Champions League knockout stage, and all three previous encounters come into the semi-finals.
Their constant battle has been seen once on the way to True Progress and City win the Treble twice in 2023, and many consider this encounter to be one of football’s great modern rivals It’s now.
Regarding that concept, Guardiola added:
“In terms of history, it’s not possible to compare it to being honest with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or AC Milan at the end of the Champions League. This kind of group.
“In the last decade, we’ve been there. The last few years, we’ll draw and we’ll play against them.”
The real front 4 threat
The city was tested on Tuesday by some of Europe’s deadliest attackers, with the Real boasting the stacked forward line of Killian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham and Rodrigo.
“It’s impossible to control these players in 90/120/200 minutes,” Guardiola said.
“They are exceptional in how they combine, the runners, the abilities against abilities, how they maintain the ball: all four.
“Everyone knows it, so you have to reduce that involvement as much as possible and know that it’s going to happen and accept it.”