The UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs draw took place on Friday, revealing the matchups set for February. One of the most anticipated clashes will see Manchester City go head-to-head with Real Madrid once again, prompting a reaction from head coach Pep Guardiola.
After securing qualification with a decisive 3-1 victory over Club Brugge on the final matchday, City braced for a tough opponent in the playoffs—either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. The draw ultimately paired them with the Spanish giants. When asked about the matchup during his pre-match press conference ahead of City’s game against Arsenal, Guardiola responded with a mix of humor and determination.
“It looks like a derby already—four years in a row facing Real Madrid,” said Guardiola while laughing. “Well, Madrid and Bayern both were really tough… hopefully we can face the first leg here and the week later in Madrid as best as possible,” he added.
This will mark the fifth time Guardiola faces Real Madrid while managing Manchester City, with their first meeting dating back to the 2019-20 season. Now, in the 2024-25 edition, the Spanish coach will once again prepare for one of the most formidable teams in the competition—but this time at an earlier stage.
Guardiola’s Champions League record vs. Real Madrid with City
Manchester City and Real Madrid have established themselves as two of the dominant forces in European football in recent years, leading to multiple high-stakes encounters in the Champions League. Guardiola has already faced Real Madrid four times with City, and this will mark their fifth showdown:
Previous Champions League encounters:
2019-20 Round of 16: Manchester City 4-2 Real Madrid (Global score).21-22 Semifinal: Real Madrid 6-5 Manchester City.22-23 Semifinal: Manchester City 5-1 Real Madrid.23-24 Quarterfinals: Real Madrid 4(4)-4(3) Manchester City (Madrid won on penalties).
With the record standing at two eliminations apiece, Guardiola will be determined to tip the balance in City’s favor this time. The first leg will be played at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, February 11, while the second leg is set for the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, February 18.
A grueling February schedule for Manchester City
One of the advantages of finishing in the top eight of the Champions League league phase was avoiding the playoff round. However, since City failed to do so, they now face a grueling schedule in February, packed with high-stakes matches.
During the month, City will play seven matches across all competitions: Arsenal on the 2nd, Leyton Orient on the 8th (FA Cup), Real Madrid on the 11th, Newcastle United on the 15th, Madrid again on the 18th, Liverpool on the 23rd, and Tottenham spurs on the 26th. With such a challenging fixture list, Guardiola urged his squad to embrace the challenge.
“We had the game in Paris (PSG), and then we had to face Chelsea, so we were already there in the middle of difficult games. The schedule is what it is, in the Premier League everyone has to face each other, but they always put the toughest schedules for the European teams, in the important stages, and the most difficult ones,” the coach stated.
He then pointed out that the difficulty lies more in the Premier League scheduling rather than the Champions League itself. “The problem isn’t facing Real Madrid or Bayern—it’s that in between, you have Newcastle,” Guardiola said. “They’ve always been so kind with the fixture list at this time of year. It’s been happening for years.”
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