by The perfectionist wants to be almost perfect. Manchester City was imperfectly imperfect this season; Therefore, they believe that on the edge of their earliest exit from the Champions League since Roberto Mancini’s reign. Pep Guardiola won as a manager on his first trip to Bernabeu 6-2. He does not need a similar goal line, but he may need a bigger shock if his city is to switch off Real Madrid now.
Guardiola itself appreciated her chances of 1 percent. “I always say what I think and this time you don’t believe me,” he said. “He doesn’t really believe that we don’t believe that we have 99 percent,” countered Carlo Ancelotti. A winner of the Quintull Champions League who has experienced too much to fall in love with every children. “We have a small advantage.”
It is probably more than that and the truth is somewhere in between. “The truth is that I don’t know what the exact percentage is,” said Bernardo Silva, often a voice of reason. “It’s more than one.” But less than as a city with five minutes in the Etihad Stadium won 2-1. Then Brahim Diaz equalized. Then Jude Bellingham continued the tradition of Real of Spaetzielen against the city.
“The result is not good,” said Guardiola. The chances now seem to be stacked against his side. “You have to play an almost perfect game. We came here with better results and it didn’t come. “This was possibly an indication of the semi -finals from 2022, when City won 4: 3 in Manchester, 178 minutes of the raw truck and was expelled by Rodrygos late double, supported by Karim Benzema’s extension intervention.
Real, the team that never knows when they will be beaten can find various ways to beat the city, even if, as Silva found, each page has knocked out each page twice in the last five seasons. The triumph of last season was punished: Silva’s attempt at a Panenka in the shootout was missing when Thibaut Courtois just got up and she started. “No regret,” he insisted. A game against Real contains the confrontation of the past; The famous history of 15 times the winners or personal pain. Silva was often a goal scorer against Real, struck in Bernabeu last season and was still asked whether he would voluntarily report when shooting. “In any case, I would set up my hand,” said a man who has often proven to be ready for the city.
For Guardiola, Real was the multi-year enemy, the rival of his beloved Barcelona, the team that his Bayern Munich team beat in the semi-finals, one side that he now seems to be. “I have incredibly good memories of this stadium,” he said. “Sometimes good, sometimes not good, but it was never easy.”
How difficult it will be depends on the occupation list. Erling Haaland, Jack Grialish, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all traveled to Spain. It doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is fit. They all have a meaning. Haaland scored two goals last week, Grialish played well in the first half half and City is already a defender after he lost Manuel Akanji who chose the man who chose last week, Vinicius jr.
The city is at least stronger than in a different way. The thrust of Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush’s lucky display against Newcastle, which is certainly the most comprehensive exhibition of City against top -class opponents this season, should start the new registrations into the start 11. A month ago they played for Porto and Eintracht Frankfurt. Now they could face modern galacticosis. “You can’t just concentrate on you if you have Jude Bellingham, Vinicius and Rodrygo,” said Silva. And of course his friend and former Monaco teammate Kylian Mbappe; A newcomer to this duel, a goal scorer last week, a lifelong real fan. “It was his dream since he was a child,” said Silva. “He is a special player, one of the special ones.”
City remains without its special person. You had a Rodri Tifo in the stands last week, but no Rodri on the field. His absence has changed everything. “I won three [La Liga] Title with Barcelona. I would have done that without [Lionel] Messi? “Asked Guardiola.” I don’t think. “
Now he has to win in Bernabeu without him. The context certainly makes it his most demanding journey so far. And yet Guardiola indicated that he has a little more optimism than he initially suggested. “What I said after the game in England and here we were over the weeks, they show themselves.”
City has to appear in the Spanish capital. If not, the Champions League show will continue without it. The list of the game list will give an emptiness, a gap in April and May. “When the season started, I would not believe you if I would tell myself in this position in the Premier League and play against Real Madrid in the play-offs and not in the quarter-finals or in the semi-finals,” said Silva. In the group phase, he could hardly understand the 22nd place and added: “We put ourselves in this situation and deserved it. If we don’t go through, it will be a lesson for the future. “
