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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Real Madrid face Man City in UCL</li><li>Ancelotti heaps praise on Guardiola</li><li>Calls him a "nightmare" to face</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

'He is a nightmare!' - Carlo Ancelotti hails Pep Guardiola as Real Madrid boss prepares for crunch Champions League play-off against Man City

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<p>Ahead of Madrid's trip to City for the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie, manager Ancelotti has called Guardiola the best coach in the business and that his innovations have contributed so much to football.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>He told<a href="https://www.marca.com/futbol/real-madrid/2025/02/10/67aa3590f49425d14d647339-directo.html" target="_blank"> reporters</a>: "What I can say is that I think he [Guardiola] is a coach who has contributed a lot to football: possession, attacking play, pressing, and coming out from behind. He is an innovator in football and I have a lot of respect for him. He is one of the best, if not the best. Every time we face each other, it is a nightmare to prepare the matches, because he always has ideas that make you think."</p><p></p>

WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

<p>This is a heavyweight clash between, arguably, two of the game's greatest managers and the two most recent Champions League winners. Madrid will be favourites to progress due to City's troubles this season but Ancelotti will be wary of what Guardiola could pull out of the hat for this one.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>City host Madrid on Tuesday in the first play-off tie, before travelling to Spain for the return game the following Wednesday. </p>

WHAT NEXT?

'He is a nightmare!' - Carlo Ancelotti hails Pep Guardiola as Real Madrid boss prepares for crunch Champions League play-off against Man City | Goal.com

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says it is a &quot;nightmare&quot; preparing to face a Pep Guardiola team ahead of their crunch clash with Manchester City.

&apos;He is a nightmare!&apos; - Carlo Ancelotti hails Pep Guardiola as Real Madrid boss prepares for crunch Champions League play-off against Man City

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