The Bernabéu was a place, Guardiola said, where he had good memories and he was quick to insist that while the pressure would be intense and there would be moments of “suffering”, the same was true when his side travelled to Barcelona, Anfield or Arsenal, and he would not have it any other way.
However, having lost the first leg 3-2 at home last week, none of the results he has secured here as City manager would be sufficient to see them through and after the first leg he said they had only a 1% chance.
Pep Guardiola admitted he “lied” after Manchester City lost the first leg of their Champions League playoff against Real Madrid and that their chances of going through are better than the 1% he gave them that night.
Carlo Ancelotti said he did not buy that, dismissing suggestions that Madrid’s chances stood at 99%, and claiming he would ask Guardiola if he really believed that his hopes were so small.
As a coach here, Guardiola’s Barcelona team defeated Real Madrid in the 2011 Champions League semi-final and put six past them in their most resonant victory in La Liga.
