Guardiola says Manchester City have learned lessons from their clashes with Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City have learned valuable lessons from their long-running Champions League rivalry with Real Madrid after playing out a last-16 draw against the Spanish club on Friday.

Guardiola’s side will face Real in two games in March in their final confrontation with the fifteen-time European champions.

City and Real have met in 15 previous Champions League matches, including a 2-1 win for the Premier League club in the group stage in Madrid in December.

Real have knocked City out of the Champions League in the last two seasons, winning 6-3 in the play-off round last season and triumphing in a penalty shootout quarter-final in 2023-24.

They also met in the 2022 and 2023 semi-finals, with Real winning the first match and City advancing three years ago.

Guardiola believes the challenge of facing the most successful club in the history of the Champions League has sharpened his side’s desire to succeed at the highest level.

“When you play for our club against the best teams in the entire history of this competition, you learn and you improve and you are better for the future,” Guardiola said.

Guardiola led City to their first Champions League title in 2023 as part of the club’s iconic treble-winning campaign.

READ ALSO: 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Draw: Real Madrid to face Manchester City, PSG to meet Chelsea in Round 16 tgb6.

For now, his focus is on keeping City in the hunt for a seventh Premier League title of his reign.

They head to Leeds on Saturday, five points behind leaders Arsenal, but with the fate of the title in their own hands.

City have a game in hand against Arsenal and host the Gunners in April.

If Guardiola’s team wins their last 11 league games, they are guaranteed the title, regardless of what Arsenal do in the last 10 games.

While Guardiola is a veteran of numerous successful title runs, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is still waiting to lift the trophy.

Arteta has only won the 2020 FA Cup during his time at Arsenal, with the Gunners finishing runners-up in the last three seasons.

Arsenal built significant leads over City in 2023 and 2024 and faltered again this season, prompting criticism over their ability to handle pressure.

«I don’t know anymore. I’m not here to give Mikel advice,» Guardiola said when asked if he could remember what it felt like to be aiming for a first title.

Guardiola said Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush – City’s Muslim players – will be available against Leeds during the fasting period of Ramadan.

“They follow this religious tradition and we have good nutritionists who adapt to what the team needs,” the City boss said.

«I think they are used to it, they are not young and used to playing in this period. It is not their first time and we know what to do with it.»

“They are in contact with the doctors and will adapt, but they know what to do.”

Published on February 27, 2026