Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has stoked reactions with a shock comment on Manchester City’s Champions League playoff knockout second leg against Real Madrid, MySportDab reports.
Manchester City will head into the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday for 2024-25 Champions League playoff knockout second leg against Real Madrid on the back of a goal deficit.
The Premier League champions threw away the lead two times in the first leg to settle for a shock 3-2 loss to Madrid at Etihad.
Two late goals by Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham saw the Los Blancos complete an unlikely and dramatic late comeback against the 2022 champions.
With the Premier League contingents now down by a goal disadvantage going into the match, Pep Guardiola has stoked reactions with his pessimistic bent about his side’s chances in the match.
Speaking ahead of the cracker, the six-time Premier League champion said his side has just 1% chance of overturning the one-goal deficit in the first leg to qualify for the next round of the tournament.
This literally means a win at Santiago Bernabeu is unlikely and that his side are already out of the competition.
This has ignited a barrage of reaction from angry fans who believe such a comment wasn’t necessary as it could wear down on the team’s morale heading into the match.
Others dismissed the comment, saying the respected and revered boss may just be playing mind games while hoping to secure nothing less from victory at Santiago Bernabeu.
Manchester City will have to win away at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to qualify for the competition, having lost the first leg at home.
