Man City wary of weakened Real Madrid, says Guardiola

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00:00Definitely. There are few clubs in Europe that, for the history, for everything, always

00:17it doesn't matter where. In a group stage, on the knockout stage, it's always difficult.

00:24We have not done, as we said, quite well in a group stage, so we deserve to be where we

00:29are. The draw is the draw and accept the challenge.

00:36I don't know. I think both teams had problems in terms of injuries during the season. I

00:41think Madrid handled it much, much better than us because it's still top of the league

00:47and fighting against Atletico Madrid that show again one more year the consistency that

00:51they have in Barcelona. Right now, maybe it's one of the best Barcelonans in that period,

00:59so while playing this season, it's exceptional. We can compare in all Barcelonas and still

01:08with that, Madrid is the leader. With the problems that we had, at the end, they are

01:13a huge competitor, so we know it. We faced it many times with them and how in the tough

01:18moments they bring the best of them, we know it. Of course, we have to make two good games

01:25to go through. It's impossible in 90 minutes, 180 minutes or 200 minutes. It depends on

01:31extra time to control these four players. Everybody knows, so I don't say anything new.

01:37They are exceptionals, so how they combine, the runners, the ability one against one,

01:45how they keep the ball, all four are exceptional. Everybody knows it, so we have to reduce his

01:52involvement as much as possible. Knowing that is going to happen, accept it. I'm not

01:58expecting because they have the courage to play. Of course, when they decide to play

02:03long balls, they are good, but after they have the ability, it doesn't matter what happens.

02:07To always be present with the ball, it doesn't matter if the opponents are close. They have

02:10the ability to keep it and make extra touches and extra passes. When that happens, of course,

02:15they can run, they can combine the shortest passes with the moments in behind, so we know

02:20it's going to happen, but at the same time, we are going to try to impose our game, to

02:25be involved as little as possible with the ball and be smart, especially in the first

02:32leg, the way you have to play. It's important to read the tempo we have to play to get a

02:40good result for Bernabeu.

02:44Of course, it will be important, we will be in the competition, we will play in the

02:48next round. Of course, it will be a good boost if everybody comes back and we are fit, but

02:55like I said to your colleagues, we were unstable this season, when we were not in the past.

03:02So we achieve what we achieve in the travels and quadruples and how difficult it is, you

03:08know, to prove it in every season in this country, especially. So it's because we were

03:13a machine. It doesn't matter what happens, we were there. Of course, we can lose at the

03:18last minute and the opponents are good. In the Champions League, we have many cases during

03:23these nine years here. I've been here, moments at Tottenham or moments that in the last minute

03:30we could go through, but always we come back, we come back. This season we struggled a lot.

03:36Of course, it would be good to continue for the club, for the prestige to be in this competition,

03:39but I like to feel that we are, week by week, month by month, we are there. Now I would

03:48feel, yeah, the team is consistent, we can do it. Now it's like, I don't know. I know

03:53the game plan tomorrow, I know the way we want to play. I still have doubts for the

03:57selection, because I have still injuries and people come back. But at the same time, always

04:03in this type of draws and competitions, I'm so optimistic and calm and we'll see what

04:09happens.