Ancelotti in disagreement with Guardiola over Man City's chances at Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti has squashed Pep Guardiola's claim that Manchester City only have a 'one percent' chance of progressing past Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs.

Madrid carry a 3-2 lead into Wednesday's second leg, after Jude Bellingham scored a last-gasp winner at the Etihad last week. City will now have to win at the Bernabeu, a feat they have managed just once in the six visits they have paid to the Spanish capital.

That win came five years ago, back in February 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down football. City head into the game on the back of a 4-0 win over top four rivals Newcastle, while Madrid drew with Osasuna in their last outing.

That result saw Los Blancos lose their lead at the top of La Liga to Barcelona. And Ancelotti believes the constrasting recent form of the two sides means that City cannot be considered out of the Champions League just yet.

“He doesn’t really think so,” Ancelotti said. “We don’t think we have a 99% chance. We have a small advantage and we have to take advantage of it. We have to play the same game as in the first leg, because it went well.

"But we have to take into account the difficulties. We are trying to prepare well. We are not happy with what happened against Osasuna, Atletico (Madrid) – games in which we were disadvantaged and I do not understand it.

"In the last few games they [referees] have made some pretty clear mistakes. The statistics speak for themselves. In Europe there is less controversy. In the Champions League the best referees from each country officiate and the quality is very high.”

While Ancelotti is approaching Wednesday's game with caution, Guardiola has hinted he has all but given up on progressing to the Last 16 of the Champions League. The Spaniard insisted that the hammering of Newcastle was a rare one-off performance from his side.

“Of course the victory helps us, but the margin to win at the Bernabeu, in that position, everybody knows that if you ask before the game, the percentage to go through, I don't know, when we arrive, is one per cent,” said Guardiola.

“It will be minimal, but as much as you have a chance, we will try, that's for sure, you know? So we're going there, like always, like we have done, but this season, the reality is that we have been miles and miles away.

“We finished 22nd in the Champions League table, but if we had performed like we did today, of course not, we would have finished higher. But we have been really, really poor in performances and in the results this season.

"Just for one game, today, we played really well. It's not going to change the opinion, the reality of where the team is right now, and we're still not good, in terms of day-by-day, being that. But, of course, it's better to travel to Madrid with this result, than with a defeat.

“So the chance is minor, because the result was not good. With five minutes to go, with it being 2-1, it would be different, but losing 3-2, the chances are less, but as much as you have a chance, we're going to take it, and we'll see what happens.”