Pep Guardiola has acknowledged the immense challenge Manchester City face in containing Real Madrid’s formidable attacking quartet of Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo throughout their Champions League playoff tie.
City host the reigning champions in the first leg on Tuesday night before the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu next week. While Rodrygo, Bellingham, and Vinícius played a key role in last season’s Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund, Mbappé has further strengthened Madrid’s attack since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. The French forward has already scored 22 goals and registered three assists this season.
Guardiola admitted the difficulty of neutralizing Real’s offensive firepower for an entire match. “It’s impossible for 90 minutes, 180 minutes, or even 200 minutes if there’s extra time, to completely control these four players. They are exceptional,” he said. “The way they combine, their movement, their one-on-one ability, and how they retain possession make them very dangerous. Our job is to minimize their impact as much as possible.”
He also emphasized Madrid’s versatility, noting their ability to play both quick, short passing sequences and direct long balls. “When they play long, they’re good. But even in tight spaces, they can keep the ball and find an extra pass. When that happens, they can exploit spaces behind the defense.”
Despite the attacking threat posed by Madrid, Guardiola remains confident in City’s approach. “We will try to impose our game and be smart, particularly in the first leg. Understanding the tempo of the game is crucial. We need to secure a good result for the return leg at the Bernabéu.”
The City manager dismissed any lingering tension between the two clubs following Real Madrid’s decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony last year, where Rodri won the award over Vinícius. “Absolutely not,” he said. “I was happy for Rodri. Vinícius had an extraordinary year too. It’s like when Messi and Ronaldo were competing for the award. The subject is closed.”
Defender Rúben Dias also played down the controversy. “To be honest, I didn’t spend a second thinking about whether it was disrespectful or not. I was there celebrating with Rodri, happy for him. That’s all that mattered.”
City’s season has been inconsistent, but Dias remains optimistic about their chances in the competition. “I strongly believe that even in difficult situations, you can achieve something special. This is one of the toughest opponents in the Champions League, but we have plenty of quality in our squad. We just need to use it the right way.”
The two sides have become familiar foes in recent years, meeting four times in the last five seasons at the knockout stage. City progressed in 2020 and again in 2023, but last year’s quarter-final ended in heartbreak as they were eliminated on penalties.
Ahead of the clash, City received a boost with Ederson, Nathan Aké, and new signing Nico González all taking part in Monday’s training session after recovering from injury concerns.
