Carlo Ancelotti has praised Pep Guardiola as “the best manager out there” and a “nightmare” to prepare for as Real Madrid gears up for a massive Champions League showdown against Manchester City on Tuesday.
The two European giants will meet in the knockout play-off, with the first leg in Manchester before the return fixture in Madrid next Wednesday. Both teams struggled in the group stage, leading to this high-stakes early clash in the revamped competition.
Real Madrid and Manchester City have developed a fierce rivalry in recent years, having faced off eight times since 2020. City has won four of those encounters, with Real Madrid securing two victories and two games ending in draws.
“It feels like a Clasico,” Ancelotti said. “City is always one of the best teams in Europe. It’s a headache facing them. Whether they are in form or not, they still have the best manager out there. If you’re not 100 percent, you won’t get the result.”
Ancelotti admitted that facing Guardiola is one of the toughest challenges in football. “It’s a nightmare preparing for Pep because he always has ideas that make you think. The team that wins this tie has a real shot at going far—just look at the last three years. Whoever won this matchup went on to win the Champions League.”
While Real Madrid is flying high at the top of La Liga, City has struggled across competitions, currently sitting fifth in the Premier League. Ancelotti admitted he was surprised by City’s struggles, but he still sees them as a massive threat.
“They had a tough period with injuries, but the team I’ve seen in the last few games is back to being competitive as usual. I have no doubt about how strong City is,” he said.
On the other side, Guardiola acknowledged the challenge of stopping Real Madrid’s attacking firepower, which features Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham.
“It’s impossible to control these four players for 90 minutes,” Guardiola admitted. “We have to limit their influence as much as possible and accept that they will create chances. Madrid has handled injuries better than us this season, and we’ll need two big performances to go through.”