Over the course of the last few years, in 2022, 2023, and now 2024, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have found themselves once more on a collision course with Real Madrid. The Champions League matches between two Spanish and English powerhouses have become true classics, bringing goals, raw passion, and a lot of emotion to every minute of action. After defeating City in 2016, 2022, and 2024, Real Madrid consistently lifts the title and leads 3-2 versus the Manchester team in their direct knockout matchups.
It’s a do-or-die match against the current champions and the kings of the competition because of Manchester City’s patchy group stage performances. Guardiola’s City defeated the Madrid team twice, in 2020 and 2022, although it’s safe to say they’re in their worst form in a long time. The English team is clinging to the possibility of Champions League triumph to salvage a season that appears to be falling apart, as the Premier League crown is already out of reach.
Guardiola has faced Madrid several times when managing Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City, so he is well aware of the difficulty they present. He gave his first impressions of the impending matchup against the Spanish powerhouses during a news conference on Friday.
Guardiola said, “Fighting Real Madrid four years in a row now feels like a derby.”
But Bayern and Real Madrid have both shown themselves to be very formidable rivals. For the first game here and the return match in Madrid, we want to be in the greatest possible shape,” the Manchester City manager told reporters.
Guardiola was also asked about the health of Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernández, who was sidelined for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery in Madrid on September 27 after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a game against Arsenal. Regarding long-term injuries, the former Barcelona manager said, “There is a recovery period that must be respected.”
“Rodri spent the entire first month in Madrid. His return to the locker room is well appreciated. His voice matters. Right now, getting well is the most important thing for Rodri. He would be thrilled to play tomorrow, of course, but recuperation takes time and the body is the body. He’s feeling fantastic and doing really well; we’ll see how he develops day by day,” Guardiola said.
