Champions League: Man City have one last chance to avoid elimination and I don’t want to face Real Madrid or Bayern – Guardiola
Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has admitted his team face a ‘really tough’ task to progress in the Champions League after being drawn against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-offs.
Guardiola’s side avoided an embarrassing Champions League exit on Wednesday night after coming from behind to beat Club Brugge 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
The Cityzens needed the win to force their way into the play-offs.
The Premier League champions wewe outside the top-24 teams in the Champions League at that stage.
But goals from Mateo Kovacic, Joel Ordonez (own-goal) and Savinho ensured Man City defeated Club Brugge to keep their hope high in the next stage of the competition.
City will now face either Champions League holders Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the playoffs.
Reacting, Guardiola admitted that both teams are better than City at the moment.
“Going to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be really tough,” Guardiola said after City defeated Club Brugge.
“But it’s in two weeks and in two weeks we have a few players back, the new signings back, so hopefully we can do two good games.
“They are better than us right now, both of them, but I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next two weeks.
“Ruben [Dias] and Nathan [Aké] are back, Jérémy [Doku], Oscar [Bobb], new signings. If everybody comes back, we can compete.”
Champions League: Guardiola reacts to Man City facing Bayern or Madrid.
The first round of games of the new version of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League is officially behind us, with eight teams having qualified automatically for the competition’s round of 16.
The first round of games was filled with drama, stunning upsets, and impressive displays of skill, the field has been narrowed down to the crème de la crème of the continent.
With the stakes higher than ever, these teams are geared to produce more unforgettable moments, stunning comebacks, and dramatic twists.
Teams that have booked automatic qualification to the round of 16.
(1) Liverpool
(2) Barcelona
(3) Arsenal
(4) Inter Milan
(5) Atletico Madrid
(6) Bayer Leverkusen
(7) Lille
(8) Aston Villa
Clubs that have qualified for the Champions League playoffs
(1) Atalanta
(2) Borussia Dortmund
(3) Real Madrid
(4) Bayern Munich
(5) AC Milan
(6) PSV
(7) PSG
(8) Benfica
(9) Monaco
(10) Stade Brestios
(11) Feyenoord
(12) Juventus
(13) Celtic
(14) Manchester City
(15) Sporting Lisbon
(16) Club Brugge
When is the draw for the UEFA Champions League playoffs?
There will be two draws after the completion of the league phase. The first draw on Friday, January 31, 2025, will determine which of the two options each team will get in the knockout play-off. For example, a team finishing 13th will find out whether they are playing against the team finishing 19th or 20th.
The seeded teams (ninth-16th) will have the second leg at home and those play-off round matches take place on February 11th and 12th and February 18/19.
That draw will then determine who they face in the round of 16, and ultimately map out their full path to the final.
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