Guardiola says Metropolis have to play a ‘excellent sport’ at Bernabeu

Pep Guardiola says Manchester Metropolis might want to play an virtually “excellent sport” to overturn a one-goal deficit at Actual Madrid within the Champions League knockout play-offs.

Metropolis path Actual 3-2 from the primary leg after scoring two late objectives on the Etihad and are accountable for the tie in opposition to Guardiola’s facet as they return to residence soil for the second leg.

Guardiola has already insisted Metropolis have a “lower than 1%” likelihood of reaching the final 16 in opposition to the 15-time winners, which opposing boss Carlo Ancelotti has rubbished, and is underneath no illusions of the duty going through his group.

“Now we have to make it virtually the right sport,” he stated. “Now we have to assault. Now we have to attain objectives. That is the thought.”

Guardiola is set Metropolis is not going to depart the Bernabeu questioning or with regrets, saying: “We should play with braveness. We have to be ourselves. It should want unimaginable braveness and we should play to win.

“We might nonetheless lose, however we have now to indicate that braveness and be ourselves. Now we have to play so properly, particularly after the end result we took away within the first leg.”

PEP 💬 We may be overwhelmed within the 94th minute however we have now at all times been a machine, each three days, nobody has performed what we have now performed in England… Perhaps we’re not a strong group, perhaps we miss Rodri, in fact, he’s the very best participant on the earth… I’ve been a coach 13/14 years and… pic.twitter.com/51y886XQy2

— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) February 18, 2025

Pep’s Bernabeu return

Metropolis have endured combined experiences throughout their journeys to the Bernabeu lately, having gained throughout a coronavirus-impacted tie in 2020, earlier than a dramatic extra-time defeat in 2022.

They then exorcised these demons a 12 months in a while the way in which to successful the Treble, successful 5-1 on mixture following a 1-1 draw the the Bernabeu.

“I’ve some unimaginable reminiscences right here – generally good ones, generally not so good,” Guardiola, who additionally managed Barcelona quite a few instances on the Bernabeu, added.

“We all know at this stage, and on this stadium, the stress is there – however you get that in Milan, in Barcelona, at Anfield. It’s a must to endure at these locations, however you must scale back these moments.”

Ancelotti rubbishes Pep’s 1% declare

Actual supervisor has rubbished solutions Metropolis have a 1% likelihood of reaching the final 16, saying: “He doesn’t actually suppose that. We don’t suppose we have now a 99% likelihood.

“Now we have a small benefit – and we have now to make the most of that.”

Guardiola responded: “For the primary time he didn’t imagine me. I at all times say what I believe, and this time you don’t imagine me.”