Pep Guardiola was in a mood for playing with Real Madrid on Tuesday Pep Guardiola was in a mood for playing with Real Madrid on Tuesday Pep Guardiola admitted he was playing mind games with his claims Manchester City had only a 1% chance of eliminating Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs. (Streaming | More Football News)
The Premier League champions trail 3-2 heading into Wednesday's second leg after a late collapse saw Madrid beat them at the Etihad Stadium last week.
Erling Haaland had edged City ahead prior to Kylian Mbappe's leveller before Brahim Diaz cancelled out the Norway talisman's penalty as Guardiola's side threatened to snatch the win late on.
Jude Bellingham then stepped up with a stoppage-time winner to keep Madrid in control of their own destiny, with Guardiola suggesting City had next-to-no chance of progressing.
Carlos Ancelotti joked with reporters that not even Guardiola believed his earlier downbeat forecast, and the City boss confirmed he was attempting to play on Madrid's mind with those comments.
"I lied about the 1% chance. For the first time, I lied," a grinning Guardiola replied at his press conference.
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"After the 3-2, nobody gave a penny for us. It's not the best result, but we can do it. Carlo won't have to tell me anything before the game."
City’s defeat in the first leg was the fifth time they have lost the first leg of a Champions League knockout stage tie,playphp going on to be eliminated on each of the previous four occasions.
Guardiola was at least presented with some better news as leading scorer Haaland trained on Tuesday after he left Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle United with an apparent knee injury.
Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish also trained after all three missed the win over Newcastle, though Guardiola refused to let on who would play.
"They travelled. We will see tomorrow, but it is good news they are here," he added.
Madrid have progressed from 37 of the previous 39 ties when winning the first leg away from home in Europe, failing only against Odense Boldklub (1994-95 UEFA Cup) and Ajax (2018-19 Champions League).
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"Have to play with courage, have to be yourself," he said. "You have to make an almost perfect game."
That courage will certainly be needed on Wednesday, considering City have lost each of their last three away games in the Champions League.
Another defeat here would guarantee their exitking game, though only once previously have they last four in a row in the competition (under Roberto Mancini between 2011 and 2012).
