Ancelotti Refutes Guardiola's Claim Of 1% Chance For Manchester City In Champions League Play-Off

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Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, dismissed Pep Guardiola's assertion that Manchester City has only a 1% chance of winning their Champions League play-off second leg. Ancelotti witnessed his team secure a 3-2 victory in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, with Jude Bellingham scoring the decisive goal. This marked the 40th instance where Real Madrid won the first leg of a European knockout stage game away from home.

Real Madrid's record in two-legged ties is impressive, having advanced in 37 out of 39 previous occasions. They only faltered against Odense Boldklub in the 1994-95 UEFA Cup and Ajax in the 2018-19 Champions League. At home, Madrid has lost just once in six Champions League encounters against City, suffering a 2-1 defeat during the round of 16 in the 2019-20 season.

The Opta supercomputer gives Real Madrid a 48% chance of winning compared to City's 29.3%. However, Ancelotti believes his team holds only a slight advantage. "Honestly, not even (Guardiola) believes what he said," Ancelotti joked during a press conference. He added that neither team considers themselves overwhelming favourites.

Ancelotti emphasised that learning to play with an advantage is psychologically challenging. He stated that while they have an edge due to their performance in Manchester, it's crucial to maintain focus and replicate their successful strategy from the previous match.

Recently, Real Madrid executives met with Spain's refereeing head following a complaint about officiating during their LaLiga loss to Espanyol. Ancelotti was upset when referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz didn't send off Carlos Romero for a tackle on Kylian Mbappe. Romero later scored the match's only goal.

Real Madrid requested access to audio and conversations between officials regarding this incident. Despite these concerns, Ancelotti noted fewer controversial calls in the Champions League but expressed issues with VAR. "I do (feel calmer), the statistics speak for themselves," he said, highlighting less controversy and intervention by VAR.

Ancelotti on VAR and Referee Quality

Ancelotti acknowledged that Champions League referees are among the best from each country, ensuring high-quality officiating. However, he criticised VAR for taking too much responsibility away from referees. "It's a bit of a dangerous system," he remarked, arguing that VAR should prevent blatant errors rather than interfere with football-related decisions.

Ancelotti believes that excessive reliance on VAR can strip football of its natural flow for the sake of perfecting an image. His comments reflect ongoing debates about technology's role in modern football and its impact on traditional officiating methods.

The upcoming match between Real Madrid and Manchester City promises to be intense as both teams aim to capitalise on their strengths. With Real holding a slight advantage from their first-leg win, fans eagerly anticipate how this tie will unfold.