Pep Guardiola has set the odds low very low for Manchester City’s hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16. Ahead of their daunting second leg against Real Madrid, the City boss has put his team’s chances at just “1 percent.”
City find themselves in this position after a dramatic first-leg collapse at the Etihad. Twice they took the lead, twice they let it slip, before conceding two late goals to hand Real Madrid a 3-2 advantage heading into Wednesday’s clash at the Bernabéu.
Guardiola, a master of mind games, may be exaggerating for effect, but there’s no denying that his side faces an uphill battle against Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
“The margin to win at the Bernabéu in this position, everybody knows,” Guardiola admitted. “If you asked before the game, the percentage to go through I don’t know, maybe 1 percent. But as long as we have a chance, we will try, that’s for sure.”
There is some positive news for City ahead of the trip. Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, both absent from Saturday’s 4-0 Premier League win over Newcastle, could return to the squad. However, Manuel Akanji remains sidelined.
“I hope so,” Guardiola said when asked about Dias and Ake’s availability. “Ruben wasn’t ready for 90 minutes, maybe 15 or 20, but I didn’t want to risk him. Nathan was sick after the Madrid game, so neither could play.”
Despite their emphatic win over Newcastle, Guardiola remains critical of his side’s overall form this season.
“We’ve been miles, miles away,” he admitted. “Of course, if we performed like [we did on Saturday], we’d have finished first in the group, but the reality is we’ve been poor both in performances and results. One good game doesn’t change that.”
City’s biggest concern will be how they handle Real Madrid’s threat, especially with their defense still shaky and their attack needing to be clinical.
Erling Haaland, who came off late against Newcastle with a minor knock, is expected to be fit for the clash. Jack Grealish, who missed the weekend’s action, may also be available.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid had a stumble of their own, drawing 1-1 at Osasuna in La Liga. They remain top, but with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona close behind, Ancelotti’s side won’t want to slip up again.
The odds may be against City, but with Guardiola at the helm, they’ll be ready to fight for that 1 percent chance.