What is Pep thinking? He unveils a master plan before Manchester City faces Real Madrid, hoping to overturn the tie and advance in the UCL.
On 16 March 2026, Pep Guardiola, manager of Premier League runners-up Manchester City, made a crucial decision ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match at home against La Liga runners-up Real Madrid on Tuesday, 17 March.
Manchester City's chances of progressing look bleak after losing the first leg 0-3 at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. They now need a major miracle to reverse the situation and advance in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
However, Pep Guardiola recently decided to cancel Manchester City's afternoon training session at 3:00 p.m. local time in England, allowing players to rest ahead of the crucial match against Real Madrid, which will impact their pursuit of four trophies this season.
Pep Guardiola plans to have Manchester City players train only once before the match against Real Madrid. The Spanish coach previously used this approach during the league phase, when City hosted and beat Dortmund 4-1 on 5 November.