Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has tempered expectations ahead of their Champions League Round of 16 second-leg clash against Real Madrid, insisting his team has only a “one percent” chance of progressing.
Despite City’s dominant 4-0 Premier League victory over Newcastle, Guardiola remains cautious, citing his team’s inconsistency this season. The defending champions suffered a 3-2 defeat in the first leg at the Etihad, despite leading twice through Erling Haaland’s goals.
“The margin to win at the Bernabéu is minimal,” Guardiola stated. “If you ask me before the game, our chances of going through? I don’t know, maybe one percent. But as long as we have a chance, we will fight for it.”
City have struggled for form this season, finishing 22nd in the league stage, and Guardiola admitted their performances have not been up to their usual standards. However, he believes their emphatic win over Newcastle could serve as a confidence boost ahead of their trip to Spain.
Regarding the fitness of key defenders Ruben Dias and Nathan Aké, Guardiola remained hopeful: “I hope so. Ruben wasn’t ready for 90 minutes, and Nathan was sick after the Madrid game, but we’ll see.”
Manchester City will take on Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, needing a strong performance to overturn their first-leg deficit and keep their Champions League hopes alive.
