Tactics will go out the window when City face the mighty Real
PEP Guardiola has downplayed the importance of tactics for the Real Madrid game.
City put in a disciplined performance at the Bernabeu to come away with a 2-1 win, playing without the ball for more of the match than they usually would before bouncing back from going behind to take the advantage into the second leg.
Much has changed in football and the world since the two teams were meant to play the second leg. As a result of the global pandemic that has caused suffering across the world, the Champions League will take place at an empty Etihad weeks after domestic competitions have been wrapped up.
City will be training in the fortnight between their last Premier League game and the Real Madrid tie, with Guardiola trying to prepare his team for every potential situation. However, he has told them that their hunger and desire will be as important to getting the Blues into the quarter-finals as any play that can be worked out on the training ground.
“If they don’t have it, we will have a problem, and won’t go through,” he said. “This game is more about desire – they know Real Madrid, they know their quality in all departments.
“They were sitting watching the last finals of the Champions League and Madrid were there. They know it. It’s not necessary to tell them something special. We will talk a little bit about it but what we will do in this game is nothing special – it’s what they have done all season.
“The tactics won’t win this game, or something special. It’s the energy they will have. These kind of games, special games, is about the desire of every single player as a team to try to win.”
Guardiola criticised his players publicly after their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal last week, accusing them of not turning up.
That has raised some concerns over how to avoid that happening again, and the Watford and Norwich games have been seen as an opportunity to show that the rhythm and confidence is there.
“We know they are able to score one, two or three and go through, but we are able to score goals too. We will try to do as well as possible,” he said. “On the pitch you have to beat them, knowing the quality they have, and the quality we have.”