Ancelotti opens up on facing Guardiola ahead of Real Madrid vs Man City – ‘Tired of playing against him’ | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola will face off once again tonight as Real Madrid host Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League knockout playoffs for a spot in the round of 16.

This will mark the tenth meeting between the Italian and the Catalan managers in Europe’s premier competition, setting a new record in the tournament’s history.

Ancelotti on facing Guardiola

Ahead of tonight’s blockbuster clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti spoke about coming face-to-face with Guardiola once again, with this being the fourth consecutive time that Real Madrid and Man City have collided in the competition.

“I am tired of seeing him,” joked Ancelotti in an interview with TNT Sports (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

“I still think he is a fantastic coach, and I am tired of playing against him, but it is always good to see him,” the Real Madrid boss admitted with a smile.

Set for another battle tonight. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Ancelotti was quick to shift the focus away from the managers and onto the teams, as he remarked:

“Not every match is a different challenge. He and I understand very well that this is not a match between Ancelotti and Guardiola but between Real Madrid and Manchester City, two teams full of fantastic players.”

When asked about Guardiola’s earlier comments suggesting that his team had only a 1% chance of advancing after their 3-2 loss in the first leg, Ancelotti responded candidly.

“He said that, but he knows it is not true. City have much more than a 1% chance of going through, that is for sure,” he said.

The Italian manager expects a thrilling encounter at the Bernabeu, tonight, saying:

“We know it will be a difficult and entertaining match. Nobody can know now what will happen, but as we have seen in recent years, it will be a fantastic game to watch because the pitch will be full of fantastic players.”

Real Madrid go into the game with an advantage, having won 3-2 in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium last week.