Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City require a “perfect game” to overturn Real Madrid’s 3-0 lead in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday. The City manager acknowledged the magnitude of the task after his side were comprehensively beaten at the Bernabéu last week, where Federico Valverde scored a first-half hat-trick.
“It has to be a perfect game in many senses,” Guardiola said. “We played with four or five strikers in the first leg and didn’t score a goal. The idea is there – we have to try it.” He referenced City’s dramatic 3-2 comeback against Aston Villa on the final day of the 2021-22 season, when they scored three goals in 14 minutes to clinch the Premier League title. “We made three goals in 14 minutes. It has to be a perfect game in many departments to make these kind of things.”
Only three teams have overturned a three-goal deficit in the knockout rounds of the Champions League: Deportivo La Coruña against Milan in 2004, Roma against Barcelona in 2018, and Liverpool against Barcelona in 2019. Guardiola admitted: “The task is massive. To score more than three goals against Madrid is not easy but we are here, it is a football game, everything can happen.”
City may face a Uefa sanction after Guardiola opted not to train on Monday, preferring an extended rest for his players following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham. Uefa rules require a minimum 15-minute open training session the day before the match if a full session is not held. Guardiola responded: “I prefer them to be at home. We will arrive at 2 [pm on Tuesday], move a little on the legs and go.”
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger reminded Erling Haaland that he was one of the first defenders to shackle the City striker after joining the Spanish club. “In my first season they said no centre-back could beat him and I was one of them to keep up with him,” Rüdiger said. The German also addressed a controversial challenge on Getafe’s Diego Rico, saying: “If I’d had the intention to do that he wouldn’t have stood up.” Kylian Mbappé is available after a knee injury, while Jude Bellingham is still recovering from a hamstring problem but has travelled with the squad.
