Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti rejected Pep Guardiola’s assertion that Manchester City has only one hundred chance of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.
Guardiola was due to the weekend when he was asked to assess the return match of the playoffs of tomorrow evening at Santiago Bernabeu with Madrid having an advantage of 3-2 after the first match at Etihad last week.
The experienced Italian ancelotti says that its side has a “small advantage” and thinks that the former boss of Barcelona is a bit playful.
He said, “He really doesn’t think that. Tomorrow, I’ll ask him before the match. He thinks he has more [chance]We don’t think we have 99% [chance]. We think we have a small advantage, but we have to enjoy it and play the same game as in the first leg, which went well. »»
The score is not 0-0!
The old adage that the “score is 0-0” before a second step was also rubbed by Ancelotti, who says that players know what they have to do.
He added: “You can tell players that we do not have the advantage and that we must approach the game as if it were 0-0, but it is a nonsense and no one believes you. There is an objective fact and it is that we have scored three goals and the city two.
“It cannot be changed. What can be changed is the attitude and approach of the game team without making calculations. The goal is to play the same game a week ago, but we cannot forget that we have the advantage. »»
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9️⃣ @Kmbappe pic.twitter.com/wyobdd3z1m– Real Madrid Cf 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 18, 2025
The team plays well, insists on ancelottes
Madrid has won only one of their last three games, but Ancelotti is not too worried since these matches came against Atletico Madrid, City and Osasuna, when his team was reduced to 10 men in First half after Jude Bellingham was sent.
“The last three games have been demanding and we only had a good result, which was against City, but the team plays well,” he said.
“It gives us confidence and a positive mind. We must continue to play well, with the quality and, above all, what stood out in the last games was the sacrifice and the collective commitment that we were able to have. »»
Rudiger returns
Madrid aligned a fortune back to Etihad last week, but will be stimulated tomorrow by the return of the half-center of the Antonio Rudiger center.
The German defender has missed the last five games with an injury to the hamstrings, but will start against City, allowing Ancelotti to move Aurelien Tchouameni in his role as a more usual defensive midfielder.
“Rudiger can play from the start, Tchouameni can play as a pivot and [Raul] Asencio can play as a central defender, “he said.
