"Yes, it is a little bit weird [to face Madrid again]. Not many times does it happen that the last game of the group stage-Real Madrid vs. Benfica-is the first draw. It looks different. People will agree or disagree, but it is different."
"[It] would be so disrespectful [to], for example, Newcastle, Barcelona, top teams, Atlético Madrid or Spurs. So I'm not a fan of [dismissing their quality]."
Manchester City drew Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 for the second time in weeks, prompting manager Pep Guardiola to advocate for rule changes. The two teams have faced each other 11 times since 2020 and will meet twice more this season. Guardiola argues that teams meeting in the league phase should not face each other immediately in knockout stages, calling the current situation unusual. City's bracket includes Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Chelsea, and PSG, creating a challenging path to the final. Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal's draw against Bayer Leverkusen appears easier but emphasized that all teams on both sides of the bracket are formidable competitors.
Read at SI
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