Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has imposed a marker for their Champions League rivals by saying that the person who wins his play-off draw with Manchester City will pick up the trophy in May.
This is the fourth year in a row Real and City met at the top table in Europe, with real emerging victors twice and the other – Ancelotti leads to call their rivalry a new 'Clasico' for their latest collision.
In all three of those earlier meetings, the Victor won the Champions League trophy – in the case of Man City, for the first time in their history in 2023.
Both parties are in an indifferent form on the continent this season, with the city less than half an hour away from the complete departure of the competition in the competition phase before they finally see the Clubbrugge in their last group game.
Surprise real defeats in Lille and at home at AC Milan, she saw the automatic last-16 qualification places finish and also fall into the play-off round.
In contrast to City, the side of Ancelotti has largely retained their domestic form and lead the Liga table with a point, despite another shock loss at Espanyol at the start of the month.
Even with the stuttering Champions League form of both teams so far – and the Premier League wrestings of City – Ancelotti tipped the winner of their last meeting to go all over again for the first stage in the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening.
“It is always a headache to look at Manchester City,” he said.
“It will be a difficult game, hard to predict. It will depend a lot on the attitude and trust of the teams. It is such a high -level game that you have to be at your best in every aspect.
“It seems that it is a 'clasico' because we have often played each other in this competition. It is the most difficult game we can be confronted with, regardless of the form.
“They are one of the best teams in Europe and they have the best manager there is. It is a nightmare who prepares for games against him because he always has ideas that make you think.
“I am convinced that the team that goes through this draw will win the competition.”
Pep: We have something special to give
Guardiola was occasionally agreed in his team this season, had little wonder that they saw one win in 13 games in all competitions from the end of October to Boxing Day, but came to fight for Tuesday's game to defend his Always recovering side.
City is unbeaten this season in the Champions League, but did not have everything on their own way in the Etihad, lost to Man Utd and Spurs in the Premier League before Christmas – prior to the arrival of four players for a combined £ 176 million in January in January.
“We are where we are, and I know perfectly, but the team has something special and hopefully we can prove it,” Guardiola said.
“I will not deny how I trust the players who have given us that incredible decade, win a lot of things and play a high standard, I know where we are.
“To be honest, it is always better to have a second stage at home in case you have extra time with your people. We play the second game because we were not good in the group phase – when you're done with 22 favors.
“You have to earn it in football – we don't earn it. We were not even around. That is why when the draw was Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, I thought that is what we earn.”
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