Pep: Real desire is essential
PEP GUARDIOLA claims it won’t be tactics that help Manchester City beat Euro kings Real Madrid – just pure desire.
City are desperate to win their first Champions League, but must begin by finishing off their last-16 tie with the Spanish giants on August 7 at the Etihad, after winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu before lockdown.
City boss Guardiola said: “The players have to do something special for this game. It’s more about the desire.
“They know the quality Real Madrid have. They’ve sat and watched finals when Real were there.
“So we are not going to do anything special that we have not done already this season. Tactics are not going to win it or something special – it’s the energy we have inside all of us as a club.
“That’s what gives us the opportunity to go through. These kinds of games are special and about the desire of every player to do their best.”
Having been cleared of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations by the court of sporting arbitration, after initially being handed a two-year Champions League ban, City have plenty of motivation to succeed.
But even though it’s believed Madrid lobbied against City in UEFA’s corridors of power, Guardiola claims there’ll be no extra satisfaction if they triumph against Zinedine Zidane’s La Liga champions.
“The satisfaction is to go through for ourselves,” said Guardiola.
“This issue is over. UEFA accused us, but the independent process said we were right. It’s over.
“The rumours will be there, but it’s in the past. I’m happy we showed the world we are clean. We just want to win on the pitch.
“It’s a final for us and for Madrid – we can’t afford to make a mistake.
“Now we have to work over these next two weeks to give us the chance to