Pep Guardiola admitted that he played Mind Games with his claims that Manchester City had only 1% chance to eliminate Real Madrid in the play-offs of the Champions League.
The Premier League Champions Trail 3-2 on its way to Wednesday's second stage after a late collapse Madrid had defeated in the Etihad Stadium last week.
Erling Haaland had closed the city prior to the Leveler of Kylian Mbappe before Brahim Diaz had canceled the punishment of the Talisman of Norway, while the side of Guardiola threatened to win the victory.
Jude Bellingham then stepped with a stop-time winner to keep Madrid control over their own destination, with Guardiola suggested that City had the chance to continue.
Carlos Ancelotti joked with reporters that even Guardiola did not believe his earlier Downbeat prediction, and the city boss confirmed that he was trying to play on Madrid's thoughts with those comments.
“I lied about the chance of 1%. For the first time I lied,” replied a grinning Guardiola at his press conference.
“After the 3-2, nobody gave a cent for us. It's not the best result, but we can do it. Carlo doesn't have to tell me anything for the game.”
The defeat of City in the first stage was the fifth time that they lost the first stage of a Champions League Knock -Out Podium, which was eliminated for each of the previous four times.
Guardiola was at least a bit better to see news when Topscorer Haaland trained on Tuesday after he left Thrashing of Newcastle United on Saturday with an apparent knee injury.
Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and Jack Grealisk also train after all three missed the victory over Newcastle, although Guardiola refused to let who would play.
“They traveled. We'll see tomorrow, but it's good news that they are here,” he added.
Madrid is advanced from 37 of the previous 39 tires when winning the first stage away from home in Europe and only failed against Odense Boldklub (1994-95 UEFA Cup) and Ajax (2018-19 Champions League).
Guardiola knows how difficult it will be to go to the Spanish capital and to destroy a shortage, especially against the 15 times European champions.
“Must play with courage, must be yourself,” he said. “You have to make an almost perfect game.”
That courage will certainly be necessary on Wednesday, since City has lost each of their last three in the Champions League.
Another defeat here would guarantee their exit, although they only have the last four in a row in the competition (under Roberto Mancini between 2011 and 2012).
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