According to Pep Guardiola, Manchester City has to play an almost “perfect game” to lift a one-goal deficit at Real Madrid in the Knockout-Playout play-offs of the Champions League.
The City Trail Real 3-2 from the first leg after scoring two late goals in Etihad and commanding the bond against Guardiola’s team when they return to the home floor for the second leg.
Guardiola has already insisted that City has a “less than 1%” chance of reaching the last 16 against the 15-fold winners that opposing boss Carlo Ancelotti submitted, and has no illusions of the task with which his team exposed is.
“We almost have to make it a perfect game,” he said. “We have to attack. We have to score goals. That is the idea. “
Guardiola is determined that the city will not be surprised or regret the Bernabeu and says: “We have to play with courage. We have to be ourselves. It will take incredible courage and we have to play to win.
“We could still lose, but we have to show this courage and we are. We have to play so well, especially according to the result that we took with us in the first leg. “
Pep 💬 We can be beaten in the 94th minute, but we have always been a machine, every three days, nobody did what we did in England. Maybe we’re not a solid team, maybe we miss Rodri, of course he, he, he is the best player in the world … I was 13/14 years and … pic.twitter.com/51y886xqy2
– Manchester City (@mancity) February 18, 2025
Peps Bernabeu returns
City has experienced mixed experiences in recent years during her trips to Bernabeu after winning in 2020 during a Coronavirus-imperted draw before defeating a dramatic extension in 2022.
They showed these demons a year later on the way to win the height and won 5: 1 after a 1-1 draw with the Bernabeu.
“I have some incredible memories here – sometimes good, sometimes not so good,” added Guardiola, who also headed Barcelona in Bernabeu.
“We know in this phase, and in this stadium the pressure is there – but you get it in Milan, in Barcelona, in Anfield. You have to suffer from these places, but you have to reduce these moments. “
Ancelotti garbage peps 1% claim
Real Manager has suggestions that City has a 1% chance of reaching the last 16 and said: “He doesn’t really believe that. We don’t believe that we have a 99% chance.
“We have a small advantage – and we have to take advantage of that.”
Guardiola replied: “For the first time he didn’t believe me. I always say what I think, and this time you don’t believe me. “
