Pep Guardiola has openly questioned the structure of the expanded Champions League, describing it as "weird" after Manchester City were drawn to face Real Madrid once more in the last 16. This matchup comes merely months after the two clubs clashed in the league phase of the competition, highlighting a perceived flaw in the current format.
Repeated Clashes Prompt Managerial Criticism
Manchester City, who secured their inaugural Champions League title in 2023, are now set to confront Real Madrid for the fifth consecutive year across various stages of the tournament. The newly implemented extended format, introduced two years ago, does not prevent teams that met in the initial league phase from being paired in the first knockout round. Consequently, City and Real will renew hostilities just over two months after Guardiola's side triumphed at the Bernabeu in December.
Guardiola Advocates for Regulatory Adjustments
When probed about whether UEFA should amend the rules to separate such teams in the last 16, Guardiola responded affirmatively. "Yes, it is a little bit weird [to face Real Madrid again]," he remarked. "Not many times does it happen that the last game of the group stage — Real Madrid v Benfica — is the first draw. It looks different. People will agree or disagree, but it is different."
He further elaborated by drawing parallels with domestic fixtures, stating, "Why not? How many times have we played against Newcastle this season? Hopefully we can play against them in the [Champions League] final! Today is different. When I started, it was eight, nine, ten teams, they want to increase a lot with the schedule and calendar. It is a question of adapting. What can we do?"
City Boss Dismisses Notions of an Easier Path
Despite the daunting draw, Guardiola refuted suggestions that Manchester City are on the more challenging side of the bracket, emphasising respect for all remaining contenders. "[It] would be so disrespectful [to], for example, Newcastle, Barcelona, top teams, Atletico Madrid or Spurs. So I’m not a fan of that [saying it’s the easier half of the draw]," he asserted.
He underscored the inherent difficulty of the Champions League, adding, "The Champions League is so difficult. I’m not saying Madrid is not difficult, everybody knows it, but the rest of the teams that you play, I don’t know, you can name me any team, all of them, they have the 'trick'. If you want to go through in this competition right now, you have to win against the best teams, otherwise you don’t deserve it."
Tournament Progression and Final Destination
The teams remaining in the competition have now been mapped out their potential routes to the final, scheduled for the end of May in Budapest. This draw has reignited debates about the competition's format and its impact on fixture congestion, with Guardiola's comments adding fuel to calls for a review of UEFA's regulations to ensure greater variety in knockout stage matchups.
