Facing Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid in the second-leg play-off for a spot in the Champions League Round of 16, Pep Guardiola has spoken the truth. Beaten in the first leg, the City boss is not expecting much.
After the 2-3 defeat to Real Madrid last Tuesday in the first-leg play-off for Champions League qualification, Pep Guardiola and his team bounced back in the Premier League over the weekend. Before travelling to Madrid for the return leg of this clash, Manchester City made light work of Newcastle (4-0), with a hat-trick from their new signing, Omar Marmoush. Following this encounter, the City boss spoke about the immense challenge awaiting his team next Wednesday against Real Madrid.
“Our chances are minimal”
When asked about City’s chances of progressing to the next round, Guardiola played down their odds, referring to a slim percentage. “The chances of winning at the Bernabéu, and everyone knows this, must be… I don’t know if it’s 1% or how much, but it’s minimal,” said the Spanish coach, who was visibly dejected after Real Madrid’s last-minute victory at the Etihad last Tuesday.
Despite the immense talent within his squad, the Catalan tactician believes Carlo Ancelotti’s team has done the hardest part in securing qualification. However, he has not ruled out the possibility of an upset. “Of course, it’s better to go to Madrid with this result (4-0 against Newcastle) rather than another last-minute defeat. But our chances are minimal because the first-leg result wasn’t good. Five minutes before the end, we were leading 2-1, and things were different. At 2-3, the chances are slim, but we’ll try to seize our opportunity and see what happens,” concluded Pep Guardiola.
Beware of the trap
It must be said that Real Madrid pulled off a monumental feat against a team that is no longer as formidable as in previous seasons. However, as Casemiro mentioned in an exclusive interview with Diario AS over the weekend, Manchester City boasts world-class players capable of producing magic at any moment. With Pep Guardiola at the helm, the Skyblues could spring a surprise on the Madrid giants at the Santiago Bernabéu. A poor start from Carlo Ancelotti’s side next Wednesday could see those 1% odds soar.
In the Champions League, huge upsets happen. Therefore, Real Madrid must field a dominant team to contain Savinho, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Kevin De Bruyne. With his vast experience in the competition, Carlo Ancelotti will not get carried away by the euphoria. Even after the first-leg victory, the Madrid boss described the result as a potential trap that should not be taken for granted. With the return of Rüdiger and David Alaba, who will support Raúl Asensio and Federico Valverde in defence, Real Madrid can secure qualification by staying focused from start to finish.
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