Carlo Ancelotti dismissed Pep Guardiola's claim about the Manchester City chances in the return leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. After Real Madrid's victory at Etihad Stadium (2-3), Manchester City's manager had said his team only had a 1% chance of turning things around at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ancelotti, however, believes Guardiola doesn't truly think that and plans to question him about it before the game.

"Guardiola doesn’t believe it, to be honest. I’ll ask him tomorrow before the match if he really thinks it’s 1%. I’m sure he thinks he has more, as he should. And we don't think we have 99%. We know we have a small advantage, but we’ll approach the game the same way we did in the first leg, which went well," said Ancelotti in a press conference.

The Italian coach anticipated an "entertaining" and "complicated" game for the spectators, emphasizing that the tie is far from decided. He also acknowledged that the Real Madrid's advantage doesn’t guarantee an easy progression to the next round, especially considering the psychological pressure of facing a team like Manchester City. Ancelotti explained that while the team has an advantage, it’s crucial not to get distracted by calculations and stay focused as if the score were 0-0.

"We know what these types of games mean, where everything is at stake in 90 minutes. The psychological aspect is key; it has happened before, and it’s hard to manage. I can’t tell my players that we don’t have an advantage. We have to approach the game as if we were tied or even losing. No one will believe you if you say otherwise," the Real Madrid manager added.

Possible lineup changes

Ancelotti also provided details about the lineup, confirming that Antonio Rüdiger has fully recovered from his muscle injury and will start. As for Aurélien Tchouaméni, the Italian stated his return to midfield will depend on the evolution of Fede Valverde, who trained with good sensations. "Rüdiger can start, Tchouaméni as a pivot, and Asencio as a center-back. We need to see how Valverde is, as he could play as right-back," explained Ancelotti.

Despite three consecutive winless games in LaLiga, which cost Real Madrid the top spot, Ancelotti maintains a positive outlook. "These have been three tough games where we didn’t get the results we wanted, but the team is playing well. What has impressed me the most is the sacrifice and collective commitment, which gives us confidence," concluded Real Madrid’s manager.