Winning Champions League not revenge over Real is Pellegrini’s driving force
MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini says there will be no extra personal motivation when his team take on former club Real Madrid for a place in the Champions League final.
City knocked out Paris St Germain in the last eight thanks to a goal from Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne which secured a 1-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium and sent the Barclays Premier League side through 3-2 on aggregate into yesterday’s draw, where they were paired against the Spanish giants.
Madrid, who have won the European competition a record 10 times, recovered from a 2-0 first-leg defeat by Wolfsburg to progress following a hat-trick by Cristiano Ronaldo.
City will be at home in the first leg on April 26 before heading to the Bernabeu a week later.
Pellegrini was manager at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2010, during which time the likes of Ronaldo was bought from Manchester United for £80m, along with Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso.
The Chilean, though, was sacked after just one season, and replaced by Jose Mourinho following early elimination from the Champions League and also losing out on the domestic championship to Barcelona.
The 62-year-old, however, maintains there will be no sense of retribution against his former employers.
“No, it is not an extra motivation. Always the motivation is to play the semi-final of the Champions League,” said Pellegrini, who is to leave his post at the Ethiad Stadium in the summer ahead of the arrival of Pep Guardiola, the current Bayern Munich boss.
“It is a difficult draw. It didn’t matter which of the three teams we had to play, the three were difficult.
“I think the options to continue are the same for the teams and we will expect to do a very good game against a big team.”
Real Madrid are within four points of La Liga leaders Barcelona, whom they beat 2-1 in the Nou Camp a fortnight ago.
Pellegrini knows from first-hand experience just what the demands are at the Spanish club for sustained success.
“I think always for a big team it is important to arrive to the last stage of the Champions League and try to win it, but also not to leave out their domestic games,” he said.
Pellegrini hopes the Champions League will continue to grow in the hearts of fans following the apathy of previous seasons.
He said: “I think the fans will enjoy the way this club continue going further in the competition.
“They will enjoy more and more the Champions League, it is the most important club competition in the world. I hope in the future they will enjoy it more than now.”
The other tie will see Atletico Madrid, who knocked out Barcelona, take on Munich – which means Guardiola could yet face his new club in the Milan final on May 28.