Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said yesterday it will be “nearly impossible” to repeat their thrashing of Real Madrid last season in their Champions League quarter-final duel. City hammered record 14-time winners Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in last season’s semi-finals on the way to the trophy but Guardiola said ahead of today’s first-leg clash at the Santiago Bernabeu he could not expect his team to repeat the feat.
“To beat Real Madrid two times in the same way is almost impossible,” Guardiola told a news conference. “To beat them once is difficult, imagine twice in a row.”
Guardiola said Madrid, led by England international Jude Bellingham, are a different proposition to last season. “We have new players, they have new players, they are completely different games,” said the former Barcelona coach.
“We have the second leg at home, we feel strong, we are incredibly confident (there)...here the games are long for many reasons, we expect different games in the same game. They can drop and defend in a low block, everyone knows the strength they have in transitions, with Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius, they have incredible pace. We have to try and hurt them, punish them, let them know we are here, to score goals.”
Guardiola said defender Josko Gvardiol had come with the squad to the Spanish capital but was “a doubt” for the clash, while injured duo Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake did not travel. “Injuries are part of a long season, unfortunately we had a lot...we have to try and find a solution and get a good result for the second leg,” said Guardiola.
City midfielder Rodri said winning the Champions League last season could make the team calmer on a high-tension European night. “It gives you a bit more composure on the pitch, you learn from the past, from when we lose and when we win,” he said. While City thrashed Madrid last season, the year before Los Blancos scored two late goals to force extra-time in the semi-finals when it seemed Guardiola’s side had won - Madrid went on to lift the trophy. “Having both experiences overall, we are a completely more mature team than the first time we faced them,” added Rodri.
Madrid ‘lacked courage’
against City, says Ancelotti
Meanwhile, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team played without courage or personality when City knocked them out of the Champions League last season.
“We played without courage, without personality – courage and personality are fundamental in this type of game, we lacked them in the second leg,” Ancelotti said.
Ancelotti said his players have to be mentally strong against City but admitted he was nervous before the game.
“The important thing is to be at our best, the mental aspect is very important,” continued Ancelotti. “In terms of courage and personality, we’ve had time to prepare for the game, we’ve prepared very well, and I am confident that we will give our best and we’ve got the quality to compete.”
Despite having won the competition four times, twice with AC Milan and twice with Madrid, more than any other manager, Ancelotti admitted his own tension before the clash. “(I’m) very nervous, before a game on a personal level it’s all suffering,” said the coach. “Defeat is suffering and victory is relief, not happiness... suffering and stress keep you alive, it’s gasoline for me.”
Last season Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger kept Erling Haaland and his teammates relatively quiet in the first leg but Ancelotti did not start the German in the Etihad thrashing.
“(The first leg) was a good game and we stopped Haaland getting passes,” Rudiger told reporters.
Rudiger said he would treat the battle against the Norwegian hitman as if it was personal. “It’s about the team, but I will take that duel as if it’s personal,” he added.