Pep Guardiola gives Man City a day off to prepare mentally for the UCL quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid, aiming to overturn a three-goal deficit

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, remains determined to chase Premier League leaders Arsenal despite a nine-point gap and is focused on overturning a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

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Ahead of the second-leg clash at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola gave his squad a day off from training to prepare mentally for the high-stakes encounter.

“It’s related. The way you play, if you play well mentally, you will be strong,” Guardiola told the BBC.

The Spanish coach emphasized the importance of defensive discipline and momentum, noting, “I am not much concerned about the chances we are going to create; I am pretty sure that we are able to do it. At home we are always able to do it. It is more about how well we are going to defend.”

Guardiola acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge, saying, “The task is massive; to score more than three goals against Real Madrid is not easy. The result in the first leg is not the perfect one, but at the same time we are here; it is a football game, and everything can happen.”

The City manager urged his players to focus on both attack and defense, adding, “We have to create as much momentum as possible and do a good game for the talented players we have and defend well.”

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Manchester City will now aim to overturn the three-goal deficit in front of their home fans as they seek to continue their UCL campaign and maintain pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race.