Guardiola Talks About Manchester City vs Real Madrid Clash
Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts on Manchester City’s upcoming Champions League match against Real Madrid, which was decided in the round of 16 draw on January 31 in Nyon, Switzerland.
The first leg of the tie will be played at the Etihad Stadium on either February 11 or 12, while the return leg will be at the Bernabeu Stadium on February 18 or 19.
Guardiola described the match against Real Madrid as a “derby” due to the intensity and the repeated encounters between the two teams. He said, “It seems like playing Real Madrid has turned into a derby. We will face them for the fourth consecutive year.”
When asked about the possibility of facing Bayern Munich instead, Guardiola remarked, “Whether it’s Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, both teams would have been tough to face. We just hope we are in good form when the time comes to play Real Madrid.”
Guardiola also expressed frustration with City’s upcoming schedule, which includes a match against Newcastle United before facing Real Madrid, followed by a game against Liverpool after the Champions League clash. He said, “The issue is not just facing Real Madrid, but the entire schedule. We will play against Newcastle before them, and Liverpool after.”
Despite his concerns about the schedule, Guardiola refused to use it as an excuse if City fails to progress against Real Madrid. “I’m not happy with the schedule, and I’m angry about it, but if we don’t qualify, it’s on us. We will take full responsibility and face the challenge head-on,” he added.
The manager also spoke about City’s upcoming match against Arsenal on Sunday, in which several key players, including Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Rodri, Jeremy Doku, and Oscar Bob, will be unavailable due to injury.
Guardiola also commented on the club’s recent signing of Omar Marmoush. He described the Egyptian forward as a talented addition to their attack, capable of scoring, creating, and making smart runs, especially in set-piece situations.
