Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has defined that he feels defensive self-discipline has been one of many keys to Actual Madrid’s success lately, and expects to see comparable in opposition to them of their Champions League play-off. Final yr Los Blancos held out for a 1-1 draw earlier than successful on penalties within the Champions League on the Etihad, however each side now look vastly completely different.
Guardiola remains to be coping with a variety of accidents, however stated that Actual Madrid had coped higher with theirs this season. On Monday, new signing Nico Gonzalez skilled usually, having come off injured on the weekend.
“I do know the gameplan tomorrow, I understand how I need to play. I nonetheless have doubts over the line-up as a result of we nonetheless have accidents and other people coming again however I’m all the time optimistic and calm.”
The important thing variations for Actual Madrid are the lack of Toni Kroos and arrival of Kylian Mbappe, including to an already spectacular frontline. Guardiola stated he would attempt to restrict their provide.
“It’s unimaginable in 90 minutes or 180 to regulate these gamers. Everybody is aware of them, I’m not going to say something new. How they mix, how they lose their man… they’re distinctive gamers. Now we have to attempt to cut back the time by which they arrive into contact with the ball. They’ve the flexibility to do all the pieces, so we are going to attempt to impose our recreation and attempt to be clever within the first recreation. We’ll attempt to learn the second to get a great outcome for the Bernabeu.”
One of many ongoing debates within the Spanish capital has been whether or not all of Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes can coexist with out the ball. The Manchester Metropolis coach defined they need to as a lot in opposition to Atletico Madrid.
“In trendy soccer, if these up entrance don’t apply themselves, it’s way more tough. Towards Atletico it was seen that they’ll sacrifice themselves for the group, the expertise in Madrid has all the time been there. Final yr they defended all the pieces… and right here they didn’t allow us to even get shut. They have been very disciplined. I feel it’s been key for Actual Madrid, and we’ve seen it latest years, and now we have not been so disciplined this yr.”
Guardiola was requested by the Madrid-based press whether or not he felt as if he have been teaching for his job, and he renewed the spiky relations with identical shops.
“No, I don’t have that feeling. I don’t know in the event that they inform a health care provider, an architect or a professor if their place is at stake. I do know that at each floor they sing it at me, however I do know that I don’t have my place at stake. After so a few years successful, now we have earned credit score, if it wasn’t for that, I in all probability wouldn’t be right here. Right this moment I feel that, however perhaps tomorrow they throw me out on the road. Perhaps that’s what you [the media] need however I don’t have that feeling.”
In the meantime Ruben Dias was the participant that Metropolis put up for the press convention, and he famous that he didn’t see a rivalry between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, and in addition requested his teammates to step up within the absence of Kyle Walker, who has carried out battle with Vinicius Junior lately.
“Final yr was irritating as a result of we ended up dominating the whole recreation, however we couldn’t rating the aim. That is the competitors, a group with a special recreation complicates issues for us. Now we have to regulate it greater than ever as a result of that’s the way you win, it’s our manner,” Dias instructed Marca.
Dias was not shopping for the concept Actual Madrid’s quite a few accidents in defence might weaken them sufficiently to offer Manchester Metropolis an edge.
“The primary mistake we are able to make is to chill out and suppose that we are able to have this benefit. Now we have to be on the vital stage with out excited about how the opponent is. To get to our stage, search for stability within the recreation and issues will come from there. We should not suppose that they’re weak for no matter purpose.”