Actual Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has laid down a marker to their Champions League rivals by saying whoever wins their play-off tie with Manchester Metropolis will elevate the trophy in Might.
That is the fourth 12 months in a row Actual and Metropolis have met at Europe’s prime desk, with Actual rising victorious twice and Man Metropolis the opposite – main Ancelotti to dub their rivalry a brand new ‘Clasico’ forward of their newest conflict.
In all three of these earlier conferences, the victor has gone on to win the Champions League trophy – in Man Metropolis’s case, for the primary time of their historical past again in 2023.
Either side discover themselves in detached kind on the continent this season, with Metropolis lower than half an hour away from dropping out of the competitors altogether within the league section earlier than lastly seeing off Membership Brugge of their last group recreation.
Shock Actual defeats in Lille and at dwelling to AC Milan noticed them end a degree off the automated last-16 qualification spots and in addition drop into the play-off spherical.
Not like Metropolis, Ancelotti’s facet have largely stored up their home kind and lead the LaLiga desk by a degree, regardless of one other shock loss at Espanyol initially of the month.
Even with each group’s stuttering Champions League kind up to now – and Metropolis’s Premier League struggles – Ancelotti tipped the winner of their newest assembly to go all the best way once more forward of the primary leg on the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening.
“It’s at all times a headache to face Manchester Metropolis,” he mentioned.
“It will likely be a tough recreation, onerous to foretell. It’s going to rely quite a bit on the angle and confidence of the groups. It is such a high-level recreation you must be at your finest in each side.
“It looks as if it is a ‘Clasico’ as a result of now we have performed one another lots of instances on this competitors. It is probably the most tough recreation we will face, no matter kind.
“They’re top-of-the-line groups in Europe they usually have the very best supervisor on the market. It is a nightmare getting ready for video games in opposition to him as a result of he at all times has concepts that make you assume.
“I’m satisfied the group that goes via from this tie will go on to win the competitors.”
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Guardiola has been downbeat on his group at instances this season, little marvel given their run of 1 win in 13 video games in all competitions from the tip of October to Boxing Day, however got here out combating forward of Tuesday’s recreation in defence of his nonetheless recovering facet.
Metropolis are unbeaten at dwelling within the Champions League this season however haven’t had every little thing their very own means on the Etihad, dropping to Man Utd and Spurs within the Premier League earlier than Christmas – previous to the arrival of 4 gamers for a mixed £176m in January.
“We’re the place we’re, and I do know completely however the group has one thing particular and hopefully we will show it,” Guardiola mentioned.
“I cannot deny how I belief with the gamers who gave us that unbelievable decade, profitable lots of issues and enjoying a excessive customary, I do know what we’re able to.
“To be trustworthy it’s at all times higher to have a second leg at dwelling in case you will have additional time along with your folks. We play the second recreation away as a result of we weren’t good within the group stage – once you end twenty second you can not ask for any favours.
“In soccer you must deserve it – we don’t deserve it. We weren’t even shut. That is why when the draw was both Bayern Munich or Actual Madrid, I believed that’s what we deserve.”
