Guardiola reveals key strategy for Man City to overcome Real Madrid in UCL clash
On Monday, February 10, 2025, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts on what his team must do to secure victory over Real Madrid in their upcoming UEFA Champions League playoff match this midweek.
Guardiola emphasized that in order to overcome the reigning title holders, Manchester City must impose their style of play across both legs of the tie. The first leg of this highly anticipated two-legged encounter will take place at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
City and Real Madrid both failed to secure automatic passage to the Round of 16, adding extra pressure to this crucial tie.
In a pre-match press conference, Guardiola expressed his concern over the attacking threat posed by Real Madrid. “Real Madrid’s attack? It’s impossible to control these players over the two games. They’re all exceptional. We have to reduce their influence as much as possible,” Guardiola said. “We must have the ability to stop them when we have the ball and stop them from running. We will try to impose our game, be clever to get a good result for the Bernabeu.”
Despite this challenge, Guardiola also pointed out that Carlo Ancelotti’s side has not been in peak form recently, winning just one of their last three matches across all competitions.
Real Madrid’s attacking firepower, including the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, will be key for City to contend with. Mbappe has been in impressive form, netting 22 goals and providing three assists in 34 appearances this season, while Vinicius has contributed 16 goals and 10 assists in 29 games, despite being sidelined by injuries at times.
