Pep Guardiola shares thoughts on potential draw against Real Madrid – ‘Will be very tough’

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that playing against Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the upcoming Champions League knockout rounds will be a significant challenge.

However, he remains optimistic, noting that there are still two weeks before the tie and that, by then, the team will have had time to recover some of their injured players.

Manchester City secured their spot in the round of 32 after a hard-fought victory over Club Brugge. This result set up a crucial match in the next stage, where they will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.

City in a tough spot

Guardiola emphasised the importance of those final preparations, believing that the recovery of key players and the adaptation of recent signings will give City the best chance to perform well in the upcoming matches.

“Bayern or Real Madrid will be very tough, but it’s in two weeks and in two weeks we’ll have some players back, the new signings will be there, so I hope we can play two good games,” he said as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

The history between Manchester City and Real Madrid in recent Champions League seasons has been intense, with the two teams meeting in the semi-finals for the past three years.

Real Madrid claimed victories in two of those encounters, in 2022 and 2024, while City emerged victorious in 2023.

Guardiola will be aware of the immense challenge his side faces, particularly as Real Madrid have proven to be a formidable force in European competition, winning the Champions League in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2024.

With the players returning to full fitness and new additions settling in, Guardiola’s optimism for the upcoming tie is clear. As for Real Madrid, they are likely to either City or Celtic.