Carlo Ancelotti compares City clash to the El Clasico as both sides meet in the Champions League for the 5th time in 6 years.
Carlo Ancelotti billed the clash between the sides as a “clásico”.
The teams will meet each other in the knockout stage for the fifth time in six years when Madrid visits the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night and returns to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday of next week. Despite the fact that the English and Spanish champions have each advanced twice in the past, Ancelotti was explicit about how he ranks their meetings.
“It seems like it’s a clásico because we have played each other a lot of times in this competition,” the Italian said. “It will depend a lot on the attitude and confidence of the teams. It’s such a high-level game you have to be your best at every aspect. Yes, it is the best rival with the best manager, the team that passed through this qualification [their tie] has the possibility to arrive far in the competition.”
While City is in sixth place in the Premier League, 15 points behind Liverpool, Real Madrid is in the lead in La Liga. However, Ancelotti thinks Pep Guardiola’s team is the most formidable opponent they could have faced.
“They are one of the best teams in Europe, they have the best manager out there so its the most difficult game we can face regardless of form.”
Ancelotti praised Guardiola. “It’s a nightmare preparing against him because he always has ideas that make you think. He has always tried to play well, brought a great deal to football in terms of attacking play, bringing the ball out from the back and he has been an innovator and continues to be.”
After Lucas Vázquez, the backup right-back, sustained a foot injury in the weekend’s 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid, he joined Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Éder Militão, and Dani Carvajal on the injured list, forcing Ancelotti to deal with a defensive crisis.
With 21-year-old defender Raúl Asencio and France midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni in the midst of defence, midfielder Fede Valverde is expected to start at right-back and Fran García on the opposite flank. “Despite our current crisis, I believe we can remain competitive,” he stated.