Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola has admitted that his team does not have a chance against Real Madrid if his team competes with Madrid’s history.
Later tonight, April 26, 2022, at 20:00, Real Madrid are expected to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final round.
Aside from the fact that Real Madrid are currently one of the favorites to win this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign after knocking out Paris Saint Germain, and Chelsea, the Spanish club is the most successful team in Europe in terms of the history of the UEFA Champions League.
Currently, Real Madrid are the only side that have won the UEFA Champions League a record 13 times in the history of the competition. The last time they won the competition was in the 2017-2018 season.
Aside from that, Real Madrid are the first and only club that have won the Champions League a record three consecutive time in the history of the competition. They achieved the feat in the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 seasons.
Unfortunately for Manchester City, most of the players that helped Real Madrid to win the Champions League three consecutive seasons are still present in the team that will face City later tonight.
In terms of history, the only thing Manchester City and Real Madrid have in common is the fact that coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid is a Champions League winner. Coach Pep Guardiola of Manchester City is also a UEFA Champions League-winning coach.
Also, one thing the two teams have in common is the fact that Manchester City are currently topping the Premier League table, and Real Madrid are currently topping the Spanish La Liga table.
The two teams got to the top of their league tables after losing just three games in 33 league matches which means that their current form is relatively comparable.
Aside from that, Manchester City have nothing in common with Real Madrid in terms of the history of the UEFA Champions League. As mentioned earlier, Real Madrid have won the Champions League a record 13 times. Unfortunately for Manchester City, the Premier League side is yet to win the Champions League.
In the 2020-2021 season, Manchester City got to the final of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the history of the club. Unfortunately, Chelsea prevented them from winning it with a lone goal.
Ahead of the first leg tie of the UEFA Champions League semi-final round against Real Madrid, coach Pep Guardiola of Manchester City said he and his team would do their best against coach Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side.
“If we have to compete with their history, we don’t have a chance. It speaks for itself,” said Pep Guardiola.
“We have the desire to compete against them. For us playing against them is an incredible test and we want to try it. (We will) Suffer when we suffer, (but) stick together. Try to do as best as possible…
“History is there, we can’t change it, but it’s eleven against eleven and one ball moving. The players decide their decision-making.
“You can imagine a plan but it’s eleven v eleven, the quality of the (players), how strong they are, it will make a difference. This game is players, it won’t be Carlo or myself who win it.”
🗣 "If we have to compete with their history, we don't have any chance. They are better. History speaks for itself."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 26, 2022
Pep Guardiola is in high praise of Real Madrid, claiming it is an "incredible test" and will try their best against them pic.twitter.com/Q0mAtr5EUc
Note that after the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, the Premier League side will travel to Spain for the return leg on May 4.
