Synopsis
On January 31, Manchester City and Real Madrid were drawn to face each other in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. Pep Guardiola described the encounter as a derby, highlighting their four consecutive meetings over the last few years.Key Takeaways
- Guardiola refers to the clash as a derby.
- This matchup marks the fifth meeting between the teams in six seasons.
- Last season's encounter ended in a penalty shootout.
- City aims to arrive in top form for both legs.
- Guardiola critiques the demanding fixture schedule.
Manchester, Jan 31 (NationPress) Manchester City and Real Madrid, two powerhouses of European football over the last decade, are set to clash once again in the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League. Man City manager Pep Guardiola described the upcoming matchup between these two giants as a derby, noting their four consecutive encounters over the past four years.
"It feels like a derby already. Four years in a row facing Real Madrid. But Bayern or Madrid - both present significant challenges. I hope we can arrive at the first leg here, and then in Madrid, in the best possible shape."
This will mark the fifth two-legged tie between these clubs in the last six seasons, with each team advancing in two of the previous four encounters dating back to the 2019/20 season. Last season, they faced each other in a penalty shootout at the Etihad, where Real prevailed and ultimately secured the trophy. In the 2022/23 season, City triumphed over Real at the Etihad during the semifinals, which was among the most memorable nights in City's European journey, leading to their historic Treble victory.
The Spanish coach also addressed the demanding fixture schedule his team is confronted with, as they compete for the FA Cup and UCL alongside the Premier League. He remarked that the Premier League schedule is notoriously challenging compared to others in Europe.
"We begin in Paris and then take on Chelsea, so we’re already facing a series of tough matches. The schedule is what it is. In the Premier League, every team must play against everyone. However, it seems the toughest schedules are often assigned to teams competing in Europe.
"They tend to schedule the hardest matches because it's difficult to compete against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, but the real challenge lies in the middle with Newcastle. They have always been quite considerate with the calendar; it’s a recurring theme over the years," he added.
