Pep Guardiola of Manchester City responds to Ancelotti’s comment and calls for ‘punishment’ for Real Madrid
The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, has emphasized the need for his team to capitalize on every opportunity to score against La Liga giants, Real Madrid, in the upcoming tough quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu. Manchester City is aiming to achieve back-to-back Champions League and treble triumphs following last season’s remarkable performances. In a previous significant win, City defeated Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium to secure a 5-1 aggregate win in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Guardiola refuted Los Blancos boss Ancelotti’s comment that City played with ‘no personality’, emphasizing that the victory was a result of their own quality rather than Real Madrid’s shortcomings.
However, key players such as right-back Kyle Walker and center-back Nathan Ake are out due to injury, while defender Josko Gvardiol is uncertain for the upcoming game. Despite the setbacks, Guardiola remains confident in his team’s abilities, urging them to assert dominance and make an impact on the game. He emphasized the need to ‘hurt’ and ‘punish’ Real Madrid in the first leg, recognizing the challenge of facing the 14-time European champions. Guardiola acknowledged the unpredictability of football and the need to adapt and perform at a high level.
Looking ahead, if Manchester City advances past Real Madrid, they may potentially face either Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
