‘We were an incredible machine… now I don’t know’ – Pep Guardiola reveals fears as City prepare for Madrid’s Fab 4

PEP GUARDIOLA admits he has no idea which Manchester City will turn up for their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

City’s “incredible machine” malfunctioned during a disastrous run at the end of 2024 and they were thumped 5-1 in the Prem by Arsenal nine days ago.

Ahead of tonight’s play-off first leg at the Etihad, boss Guardiola said: “This season we struggled a lot. Before I would feel, ‘Yeah, the team is consistent, we can do it’. Now it’s like, ‘I don’t know’.

“You never know before the game what’s going to happen, how they react. And now we’ve had a lot of injuries, players are a little bit up and down.”

City have won seven of their last ten games in all competitions, a run that included the humiliation by the Gunners and a 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

Guardiola’s reigning Prem champs are currently fifth — 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.

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And he said: “We are not being consistent. What defined this team in the last decade is we are an incredible machine every three days.

“Otherwise, we could not win six titles in seven years and these incredible trophies.

“Of course, we can perform well on Tuesday, of course we can perform well in Madrid, of course we can perform well to the end of the season,

“But before, I could tell you, ‘OK, it’s going to happen now’ — and now  I don’t know how it’s going to react, that’s the reality.”

This is the fifth time in six seasons the heavyweights have been drawn together after struggling in the new-look league phase.

Pep added: “I know the game plan. I know the way we want to play.

“I still have doubts for the selection, because I have injuries and people come back.

“But at the same time, I’m so optimistic and calm. We’ll see what happens.

“Of course it would be good to continue for the club, for the prestige to win this competition.”

Pep knows it will be "impossible" to keep Real Madrid’s Fab Four quiet for both legs of their heavyweight European eliminator.

But City must stop Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham from being too influential if they are to make the last-16 of the Champions League.

Guardiola admitted: “All four are exceptional. It’s impossible — 90 minutes, 180 minutes or 200 minutes if there’s extra time — to control these four players.

“How they combine, the ability one against one, how they keep the ball.

“We have to reduce their involvement as much as possible. They have the ability to keep it and make extra touches and extra passes.

“When that happens,  they can run, they can combine the shortest passes with the moments in behind.”

City defender Ruben Dias pointed out the Premier League champions have "guns" of their own in the dressing room such as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.

And the last two winners of this tournament could hardly know each other any better.

This will be the fifth season in six they have been drawn together — each having gone through twice so far.

City have lost just one of eight legs against the Spanish giants.

But their defence has struggled to keep clean sheets this season - particularly without the protection usually provided by midfielder Rodri since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in September.

And the addition of French superstar Mbappe to the Madrid sides City have faced in previous years makes their task even harder.

Guardiola insisted: “We are going to try to impose our game and be smart, especially in the first leg.

“The way you have to play. It’s important to read the tempo. We have to play to get a good result to take to the Bernabeu.”

Madrid have their own defensive problems so attack could be the best form of defence for City.

Guardiola added: “What we were, what we are — I know perfectly.
“But the team has something special, our team. Hopefully, on Tuesday we can prove it.”

The return of Dias — who has started only 19 matches in an injury-hit campaign — will be crucial to City’s hopes.

And the Portuguese defender, 27, claimed that holders Madrid should be worried too. He said: “Since I’ve been here this is the most ­difficult season.

"But even in the most difficult times you can achieve something beautiful.  We know how difficult it will be. But we have loads of guns in the dressing room and just have to use them the right way.”

Dias believes City have learned plenty from their previous meetings with Madrid — and felt aggrieved to be knocked out of last April’s quarter-final on penalties.

Two years ago, City memorably won 4-0 at the Etihad on their way to a historic Treble.

A year before that they were knocked out in a dramatic semi-final in the Spanish capital.

Dias added: “When we won the Treble, that feeling in the Bernabeu was important — the understanding of how good we need to be to win this game.

“You might think the 4-0 was very easy, but it was a mix of so many things where we needed to be full on our game.

“Last year was frustrating because we dominated but weren’t able to score the goals that would have made the difference.

“They won’t make it easy for us. We need to do what we do better than ever and fight more than ever because that’s how you win.”

Dias is raring to go after a stop-start last few months — having rushed back from injury too soon.

He admitted: “It’s been frustrating. In a period like this, in which you want to be next to your family on the pitch.

“You help any way you can. One of the ways is to recover as well and as fast as you can.

“You need to be wise with the comeback, the schedule is ruthless.

You’re at a point when the train is going in the season and you need to catch that train.”

If Dias helps City win tonight, it would be just the ticket.