Manchester City faces a daunting challenge at the Bernabeu Stadium as they seek to overturn a 3-2 deficit against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Manager Pep Guardiola has rated his team's chances at just "1%" as they attempt to reach the last 16.
Guardiola, who has experienced both triumph and heartbreak at this legendary venue with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, emphasized the need for "almost the perfect game" when addressing the media. "We have to attack. We have to score goals. This is the idea," he stated, demonstrating his determination to leave no room for regrets.
The statistics paint a challenging picture for the English side. While Opta calculates City's chances at a more optimistic 19.8%, history favors Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have won the first leg of a European knockout-stage tie away from home 40 times, successfully progressing in 37 of those occasions. City, meanwhile, has never advanced after losing the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie in their previous four attempts.
Real Madrid's manager Carlo Ancelotti, the tournament's most successful coach with five wins, dismissed Guardiola's modest assessment. "He doesn't really think that. We don't think we have a 99% chance. We have a small advantage - and we have to take advantage of that," Ancelotti remarked, to which Guardiola responded, "For the first time he didn't believe me. I always say what I think, and this time you don't believe me."
City's recent form in the competition has been concerning, with losses in their last three away games to Sporting, Juventus, and Paris St-Germain. However, they received a boost from Saturday's 4-0 victory over Newcastle United, featuring a remarkable hat-trick by Omar Marmoush within 14 first-half minutes.
The match could mark a potential Champions League farewell for several City stalwarts, including Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, and goalkeeper Ederson. Bernardo Silva acknowledged the team's difficult position, stating, "We have to believe. We still believe things can go our way, but this season is certainly a lesson for the future."
One bright spot for City is Erling Haaland, who scored both goals in the first-leg defeat. The Norwegian striker stands on the verge of history, needing just one goal to become the fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, potentially achieving this milestone at 24 years and 213 days.
For Guardiola and Manchester City, overcoming these odds at the Bernabeu would rank among their greatest achievements. As they prepare to face Real Madrid in this footballing cathedral, they know that only an extraordinary performance will be enough to keep their Champions League dreams alive.
