Pep Guardiola made a surprising decision ahead of a crucial UEFA Champions League clash. The Manchester City manager cancelled the team’s final training session before the second-leg match against Real Madrid and instead gave his players a full day off.

The decision is unusual, particularly before a knockout match in Europe’s top club competition. Although City trained on Sunday at their facilities, the typical pre-match training session — which usually includes 15 minutes open to the media — did not take place.

Guardiola has used this approach before. In November, ahead of a match against Borussia Dortmund, the Spanish coach opted for the same strategy. The result worked in City’s favor, as they secured a convincing 4-1 victory.

Interestingly, that same scoreline would be enough for Manchester City against Real Madrid to force extra time in the upcoming clash. Still, skipping training the day before a match is not common practice among Champions League teams. English clubs usually prefer to train at their own facilities whether they are playing home or away, often avoiding sessions at the match venue itself.

For that reason, completely cancelling the final training session has raised eyebrows across European football circles. Despite the break for the squad, Guardiola will still attend the official pre-match press conference alongside team captain Bernardo Silva.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid will follow the usual routine and will train at the Etihad Stadium while also addressing the media ahead of the highly anticipated encounter.

Watch beIN SPORTS Xtra live and for free on YouTube