Guardiola talks Arbeloa, Vinicius, Mbappe, Santiago Bernabeu ahead of Real Madrid vs Man City
· Yahoo Sports
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola faced the media ahead of one of the most anticipated matches of the season as his side prepares to take on Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.
The match will take place at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, a venue known for its intense atmosphere and unforgettable European nights.
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For Guardiola and Manchester City, the visit to Madrid will be another chapter in what has become a regular Champions League rivalry between the two clubs.
During the press conference, Guardiola spoke about the challenge of playing at the Bernabeu and the emotional impact that such a stage can have on players.
“Emotions come into play when you play badly. They can play a role. It’s not our first time here, but you never know what’s going to happen.
“Of course, good things can’t happen if you’re not yourself. You have to face your opponent, look them in the eye and go for it.
“Maybe you get through, maybe you’re unlucky. That’s how it is in big stadiums against big teams. It’s 180 minutes, you have to control the good moments and the bad moments.”
Facing Arbeloa
Guardiola was also asked about the tactical battle he expects against Madrid’s current manager, Alvaro Arbeloa.
Despite their shared history in Spanish football, Guardiola admitted that this will be their first meeting on the touchline.
“Lots of surprises. It’s the first time against Alvaro, I don’t know. But we know each other well.
“He knows us, there are adjustments we have to make because of his quality. But there won’t be any surprises.”
The Manchester City coach also addressed the fact that Real Madrid recently changed managers.
Guardiola explained that he does not know Arbeloa personally, which limits the type of assessment he can make about his counterpart.
“I haven’t worked with Alvaro, I don’t know him well. I give advice to people I know. I’m not in a position to give advice to strangers.
“I have a good relationship with Xabi [Alonso], but not with Arbeloa.”
Problems at Real Madrid
Pep Guardiola is expecting a surprise from Real Madrid. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Even with changes on the Madrid bench, Guardiola made it clear that facing Real Madrid in the Champions League remains one of the toughest challenges in European football.
“Real Madrid have similar issues, every coach has their own problems, they have injuries. But Madrid is always Madrid. There are only nuances.”
When asked whether this year’s tie might be more balanced than previous meetings, Guardiola refused to make predictions.
“We’ll see next Tuesday. Last year, we were in very bad shape. I’m not going to be the one to underestimate this club in this competition.”
One of the biggest tactical concerns for Manchester City will be dealing with the threat of Vinicius Jr., whose pace and dribbling have caused problems for many teams.
Guardiola acknowledged how difficult it is to control the Brazilian winger.
“It’s difficult. We used to have [Kyle] Walker. He’s a constant threat. We’ll try to stay close together and run back.
“A lot of the time, you can’t control him, we know that. But we’ll try to impose our game and get him involved as little as possible.”
Guardiola was also asked about Kylian Mbappe and his situation ahead of the tie, but the City manager chose not to go into detail.
“Is my opinion about him going to Paris important? As far as I know, it wasn’t just him.
“It happens at our club too. I don’t think it’s a slight. But I’m not in a position to comment on that.”
This latest meeting will mark the fifth consecutive season in which Manchester City and Real Madrid face each other in the Champions League.
Guardiola admitted that the familiarity between the two clubs makes the tie even more interesting.
“I can’t focus on how Madrid are doing, I don’t see them every day. I don’t know the reality. I focus on how we’ve been in recent games.
“I have no other choice. Then whatever happens, happens. It’s true that it’s a lot. They treat us well, we eat well, and we’ll have a good dinner. And we know we have to be at our best.”
Source: AS