Pep Guardiola declares Manchester City's ability to overturn the deficit against Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola stated that Manchester City players can still reverse the situation against Real Madrid despite trailing 0-3 ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Manchester City had a less favorable start for the Champions League quarter-final second leg when they only secured one point in the encounter with West Ham in the 30th round of the Premier League.

Following the 0-3 defeat in the first leg at the Bernabeu, the blue half of Manchester will need to exert maximum effort at the Etihad if they wish to reverse the situation against Real Madrid, a team renowned for impressive comeback performances in Champions League history. Ahead of this major challenge, coach Pep Guardiola has voiced encouragement for his players' morale, simultaneously affirming that Manchester City still possesses the capability to create a surprise.

The Spanish strategist shared: "If the players do not believe it can happen, that is a problem. They are all mature individuals and are paid very well. If they do not believe in the possibility of a Champions League comeback, they should best stay home. We must try. What do we have to lose?

Has Real Madrid never staged a comeback in history? I don't know, but in 50 Champions League matches, have they never reversed a situation when trailing 0-3? Of course, this is a very difficult outcome, but we must still strive. That is respect for the fans, for our work."

A rare positive point for Manchester City at this moment lies in Real Madrid's squad situation. The Royal team is likely to miss several key pillars, including Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. Conversely, the Etihad home team possesses nearly its strongest squad and aims for a victory with a large margin to foster hope of reversing the situation.

Besides the task of seeking a comeback against Real Madrid, Manchester City also faces many difficulties in the Premier League title race. Currently, they have been left nine points behind Arsenal on the standings, despite still having played one fewer match than their rival.

Pep stated: "After that, we still have eight more matches. We must accept the current situation and strive to finish the season in the best possible way. We still have many objectives ahead like the Premier League, FA Cup, and the Carabao Cup final. The important thing is to continue improving.

The faster we improve, the better it is for the present as well as for the future, for the next season. That is what we need to do."

Pep Guardiola and his players will have two additional days to prepare for hosting Real Madrid at home, and this match will take place at 3:00 AM on March 18.