Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admits that preparing for a match against Pep Guardiola’s team always feels like a nightmare.
The historic rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has long been known as “El Clasico.” But in modern football, another classic has emerged—Real Madrid vs. Manchester City. Ancelotti calls this fixture a “modern Clasico” and has great respect for his counterpart, Guardiola.
Real will face City in the first leg of their Champions League playoff clash on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium. These two clubs, who have won the last three editions of the tournament, are meeting for the fourth consecutive year in the knockout stages.
Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, Ancelotti believes that the winner of this battle will have the strongest chance of lifting the trophy.
“It feels like a ‘modern Clasico’ now because we face each other year after year in this competition. As always, it will be an entertaining and competitive game. Everything will depend on mentality, individual performances, confidence, and character. The quality is so high that you need to be at your best in every aspect, not just one.”
“Whoever advances from this clash will have the best chance of going all the way in the tournament. That’s what recent history has shown us.”
In 2022, Real Madrid defeated City in a thrilling semifinal on their way to winning the Champions League. A year later, City got their revenge, eliminating Real before claiming the title. Last season, Real edged past City in the quarter-finals on penalties and went on to lift the trophy.
However, this time, City are not at their dominant best. In the Premier League, they trail leaders Liverpool by 15 points despite playing one more game. They also struggled in the Champions League group stage, securing their playoff spot only on the final matchday. The unstoppable force they once were seems to have faded.
Ancelotti, however, refuses to underestimate them, emphasizing that facing a Guardiola team is never easy.
“The reality is that facing Manchester City is always stressful. Guardiola has brought so much to football—he’s an innovator, and I have great respect for him. He is one of the best, if not the best.”
“Every time we prepare to face them, it feels like a nightmare because he always comes up with something new that we have to account for. City remain one of the best teams in Europe, and they have one of the best coaches. At this stage of the tournament, we couldn’t have asked for a tougher opponent.”
While City may not be at their peak, Real Madrid are also dealing with inconsistency and injuries. Their defensive line is particularly vulnerable, with key players missing ahead of this crucial clash.
