Pep Guardiola admits that he has no idea which Manchester City will appear for their showdown with Champions League with Real Madrid.
City's “Incredible Machine” did not function during a disastrous run at the end of 2024 and they were beaten nine days ago with 5-1 in the Prem by Arsenal.
In anticipation of tonight's play-off in the Etihad, Boss Guardiola said: “This season we were struggling a lot. Before I had the feeling: “Yes, the team is consistent, we can do it.” Now it's like: “I don't know.”
“You never know what will happen before the game, how they react. And now we have had many injuries, players are a bit up and down. “
City has won seven of their last ten games in all competitions, a run with the humiliation by the Gunners and a 4-2 loss for Paris Saint-Germain.
Guardiolas ruling Prem Champs are currently in fifth place – 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.
And he said: 'We are not consistent. What this team has defined in the past decade is that we are an incredible machine every three days.
“Otherwise we could not win six titles in seven years and these incredible trophies.
“Of course we can perform well on Tuesday, of course we can perform well in Madrid, of course we can perform well until the end of the season,
“But earlier I could tell you:” Ok, it's going to happen now ” – and now I don't know how it will react, that's the reality.”
This is the fifth time in six seasons that the heavyweights were pulled together after wrestling in the new look League phase.
Pep added: “I know the game plan. I know the way we want to play.
“I still have doubts about the selection, because I have injuries and people come back.
“But at the same time I am so optimistic and calm. We will see what happens.
“Of course it would be good to continue for the club, for the prestige to win this competition.”
Pep knows that it will be “impossible” to keep Real Madrid's Fab Four Quiet for both legs of their heavyweight European eliminator.
But City has to stop Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius JR, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham who are too influential if they want to make the last 16 of the Champions League.
Guardiola admitted: “All four are exceptional. It is impossible – 90 minutes, 180 minutes or 200 minutes if there is extra time – to control these four players.
“How they combine, the skill against one, how they keep the ball.
“We must reduce their involvement as much as possible. They have the option to keep it and make extra accents and extra passes.
“When that happens, they can run, they can combine the shortest passes with the moments behind it.”
City defender Ruben Dias pointed out that the Premier League champions have 'weapons' in the dressing room such as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.
And the last two winners of this tournament could hardly know each other better.
This will be the fifth season in six that they have been pulled together – each have been through twice so far.
City has only lost one of the eight legs against the Spanish giants.
But their defense has difficulty keeping clean sheets this season – especially without the protection offered by midfielder Rodri since he tore his front cruciate ligament in September.
And the addition of the French superstar Mbappe to the Madrid parties that has confronted the city in previous years makes their task even more difficult.
Guardiola insisted: “We are going to try to impose our game and be smart, especially in the first stage.
“The way you have to play. It is important to read the pace. We have to play to get a good result to go to the Bernabeu. “
Madrid has their own defensive problems, so attack can be the best form of defense for the city.
Guardiola added: “What we were, what we are – I know perfectly.” But the team has something special, our team. Hopefully we can prove it on Tuesday. “
The return of Dias-Die Only 19 games has started in an injury-hit campaign-okay being crucial for the hope of the city.
And the Portuguese defender, 27, claimed that holders Madrid would also worry. He said: “Since I have been here, this is the most difficult season.
“But even in the most difficult times you can achieve something beautiful. We know how difficult it will be. But we have a lot of weapons in the dressing room and just have to use them in the right way.”
DIAS believes that City has learned a lot from their earlier meetings with Madrid and felt awarded to be beaten on penalties from the quarterfinals last April.
Two years ago, the city of Memorabel won 4-0 on Etihad on the way to a historic Treble.
A year earlier they were eliminated in a dramatic semi -final in the Spanish capital.
Dias added: “When we won the Treble, that feeling in the Bernabeu was important – the understanding of how good we should be to win this game.
“You may think that the 4-0 was very easy, but it was a mix of so many things that we had to be full in our game.
“Last year was frustrating because we dominated, but were unable to score the goals that would have made the difference.
“They won't make it easy for us. We have to do what we do better than ever and fight more than ever, because that's how you win. “
Dias is fierce to go back from an injury in recent months after a stop-start.
He admitted: 'It was frustrating. In a period like this, in which you want to be on the field next to your family.
“You help in every way you can. One of the ways is to recover and as fast as you can.
“You have to be wise with the comeback, the schedule is ruthless.
You are at a time when the train goes in the season and you have to catch that train. “
If Dias helps the city to win tonight, this would only be the ticket.
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