In the final round of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League group stage, Man City came from behind to beat Club Brugge 3-1 at home. This result helped Man City gain 11 points, ranking 22/36, winning a place in the play-off round.
However, with the competition not as successful as expected, Man City - the 2023 UEFA Champions League champion - is at risk of meeting Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the play-off round.
Speaking about the win over Club Brugge, Guardiola said: “Brugge defended very well, they played man-to-man. Maybe Man City were under pressure to show the quality in their play and the explosiveness needed to score. At the right moment, we scored and the new format of the tournament is really difficult, very difficult.
In the future, big teams may have to go through what we have experienced this season. This is an incredible lesson for the club, first of all for me and for the players, that nothing is certain.”
Asked if Man City are still considered candidates to win the Champions League this year, the Spaniard stressed: "Not at the moment. I am very realistic. Opponents like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have more experience than us, if we have to face them tomorrow it will be very difficult for us. But in two weeks, we do not know where we will be. We will prepare well and try, let's see what happens."
Meanwhile, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he and his teammates are not worried about the prospect of facing Man City in the play-off round. The LaLiga giants have faced Man City in the Champions League in each of the last three seasons, eliminating the English side en route to winning the UEFA Champions League in 2022 and 2024.
“We played them in the knockout stages last year, two years ago, three years ago. If we have to play City, if you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat the best teams,” said Courtois.
The first draw, scheduled for January 31, will determine the play-off matches. For example, the 13th-placed team will know whether they will play the 19th- or 20th-placed team.
Teams ranked 9th to 16th play the second legs at home, with the home and away matches taking place on 11/12 February and 18/19 February.
Teams ranked 1 to 8 have until February 21 to find out their opponents in the round of 16.
Teams directly into the round of 16: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atletico de Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, Leverkusen, Lille, Liverpool.
Play-off winners: Atalanta, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Brest, Celtic, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Juventus, Man City, Milan, Monaco, Paris, PSV, Real Madrid, Sporting CP
Eliminated teams: Bologna, Crvena Zvezda, Girona, GNK Dinamo, Leipzig, Salzburg, Shakhtar, Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Praha, Sturm Graz, Stuttgart, Young Boys
