Pep Guardiola reacts to Manchester City facing Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in Champions League
Pep Guardiola reacts to Manchester City facing Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in Champions League
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Pep Guardiola admitted his Manchester City team face a ‘really tough’ task to progress in the Champions League after being drawn against Real Madrid of Bayern Munich in the play-offs. Man City avoided an embarrassing Champions League exit by coming from behind to beat Club Brugge 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
![[Manchester City v Club Brugge KV - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2196640517.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Needing a win to force their way into the play-offs, 2023 winners Manchester City had a mountain to climb when Raphael Onyedika put the visitors in front on the stroke of half-time. City were outside the top-24 teams in the Champions League at that stage but had renewed hope just eight minutes into the second half when Mateo Kovacic drove forward and slotted into the bottom corner.
![[Manchester City v Club Brugge KV - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2196024499.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The reigning Premier League champions went ahead nine minutes later through Joel Ordonez’s own goal, before Savinho put the game to bed late on. While Manchester City were relieved to scrape through, they will face a real examination in the play-offs against either Champions League holders Real Madrid or German giants Bayern Munich.
![[FBL-EUR-C1-BREST-REAL MADRID]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2195983096.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘Going to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be really tough,’ Guardiola said. ‘But it’s in two weeks and in two weeks we have a few players back, the new signings back, so hopefully we can do two good games. ‘They are better than us right now, both of them, but I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next two weeks.
‘Ruben [Dias] and Nathan [Aké] are back, Jérémy [Doku], Oscar [Bobb], new signings. If everybody comes back, we can compete.’. On his team’s performance against Club Brugge, Guardiola added: ‘In the second half we lifted our soul and our hearts were free.
