MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has downplayed his team’s chances of advancing to the Champions League last 16 against Real Madrid, saying they have just a “one per cent chance” of progress.
City suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in the first leg at home after squandering a late 2-1 lead, continuing a worrying trend of struggling under high-intensity Champions League pressure.
In response, City spent £170 million (about RM953.21 million) in January on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Nico Gonzalez. However, only Marmoush saw action in the first leg, while the others remained unused or unregistered.
Guardiola may now regret that decision after Marmoush, Gonzalez, and Khusanov starred in City’s dominant 4-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.
Marmoush shone with a first-half hat-trick, offering City a much-needed scoring threat alongside Erling Haaland.
Khusanov, who struggled on his Premier League debut last month, redeemed himself by keeping Newcastle’s Alexander Isak in check, demonstrating the defensive pace City may need against Madrid’s attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez provided midfield stability in the absence of Rodri, earning praise from Guardiola as a “mini Rodri”.
Despite these reinforcements, City have historically struggled against Madrid.
This marks the fourth straight season the two sides meet, with City’s only triumph coming in a 5-1 aggregate win en route to their first Champions League title in 2023.
In 2022, Madrid staged a dramatic stoppage-time comeback to knock City out, and last season, penalties sealed City’s fate in the quarter-finals.
Guardiola remains skeptical about City rediscovering their best form when it matters most, but their new signings could offer a glimmer of hope at the Santiago Bernabeu. – AFP
