Pep Guardiola is relishing another clash with Real Madrid after Manchester City were pitted against the Spanish giants for a third successive year. (More Football News)
Champions League holders City will take on the competition바카라™s record 14-time winners in the quarter-finals of this season바카라™s competition next month.
The two clubs have met in the semi-finals for the past two years, with Real winning in 2022 but City avenging that loss 바카라“ wrapped up with a 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium 바카라“ last term.
바카라śIt looks like a little bit of a tradition, three years in a row playing the kings of the competition,바카라ť said City manager Guardiola following Friday바카라™s draw.
바카라śHopefully we can arrive in a good moment but there are still a few weeks before the first game in Madrid.
바카라śWhen people say draws are easy, you undermine the other opponent but it바카라™s not necessary to say what Real Madrid are in this competition. When you play the latter stages you play against the best teams in Europe and Real Madrid are totally there.
바카라śBut all the opponents are really tough, everybody knows it. We were excited before the draw because it바카라™s a privilege every time we are here. It is a special competition.바카라ť
It will be the fourth time the two clubs have faced each other this season, with City edging both Premier League meetings but the Magpies prevailing in the Carabao Cup.
Guardiola said: 바카라śThis season and the previous one, and the previous one 바카라“ since Eddie Howe was there and the people from Saudi Arabia took over 바카라“ they have always been tight games.
바카라śI don바카라™t expect differently but we have an incredible chance at home with our people. From now on, until the end of the season, we need at every home game the support of our fans like we had against (Manchester) United.
바카라śI can바카라™t remember an environment like that for a long time and we need that tomorrow.바카라ť
City will be without key players Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson but Jack Grealish is back in contention after missing six of the last seven games with groin trouble.
바카라śHe바카라™s getting better,바카라ť Guardiola said. 바카라śHe바카라™s in the group.바카라ť
De Bruyne was this week left out of the Belgium squad after it emerged he carried a groin injury into last week바카라™s draw at Liverpool.
바카라śHe바카라™s not ready,바카라ť Guardiola said. 바카라śHe played at Anfield with some problems but he바카라™s getting better.
바카라śHe바카라™s not ready for tomorrow and we spoke with the Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco and he decided not to go. I바카라™m grateful because he didn바카라™t feel good.
바카라śHe can recover for the last part of the season. All the players today in modern football are not clean, always they have problems. It바카라™s better to take a step back.바카라ť
Goalkeeper Ederson, who suffered a thigh injury as he fouled Liverpool바카라™s Darwin Nunez to concede a penalty, should also return after the international break. Stefan Ortega will deputise this weekend.
