Guardiola says City need to play a ‘perfect game’ at Bernabeu

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City will need to play an almost “perfect game” to overturn a one-goal deficit at Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout play-offs.

City trail Real 3-2 from the first leg after scoring two late goals at the Etihad and are in command of the tie against Guardiola’s side as they return to home soil for the second leg.

Guardiola has already insisted City have a “less than 1%” chance of reaching the last 16 against the 15-time winners, which opposing boss Carlo Ancelotti has rubbished, and is under no illusions of the task facing his team.

“We have to make it almost the perfect game,” he said. “We have to attack. We have to score goals. This is the idea.”

Guardiola is determined City will not leave the Bernabeu wondering or with regrets, saying: “We must play with courage. We must be ourselves. It will need incredible courage and we must play to win.

“We could still lose, but we have to show that courage and be ourselves. We have to play so well, especially after the result we took away in the first leg.”

PEP 💬 We can be beaten in the 94th minute but we have always been a machine, every three days, no one has done what we have done in England… Maybe we are not a solid team, maybe we miss Rodri, of course, he is the best player in the world… I have been a coach 13/14 years and… pic.twitter.com/51y886XQy2

— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 18, 2025

Pep’s Bernabeu return

City have endured mixed experiences during their trips to the Bernabeu in recent years, having won during a coronavirus-impacted tie in 2020, before a dramatic extra-time defeat in 2022.

They then exorcised those demons a year later on the way to winning the Treble, winning 5-1 on aggregate following a 1-1 draw the the Bernabeu.

“I have some incredible memories here – sometimes good ones, sometimes not so good,” Guardiola, who also managed Barcelona a number of times at the Bernabeu, added.

“We know at this stage, and in this stadium, the pressure is there – but you get that in Milan, in Barcelona, at Anfield. You have to suffer at these places, but you have to reduce those moments.”

Ancelotti rubbishes Pep’s 1% claim

Real manager has rubbished suggestions City have a 1% chance of reaching the last 16, saying: “He doesn’t really think that. We don’t think we have a 99% chance.

“We have a small advantage – and we have to take advantage of that.”

Guardiola responded: “For the first time he didn’t believe me. I always say what I think, and this time you don’t believe me.”