Pep Guardiola calls for commitment ahead of Manchester City versus Real Madrid

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has publicly challenged his players to believe in a comeback against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 second leg. Real Madrid won the first leg 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, where Federico Valverde scored a hat-trick. The decisive second leg is scheduled for March 17 at 22:00 at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola stated that players who lack the conviction to overturn the deficit should remain at home, emphasizing that they are professionals. Following the Champions League loss, Manchester City also drew 1-1 with West Ham, leaving them nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League table. Guardiola acknowledged that no one currently expects his team to advance after the heavy first-leg defeat. He emphasized the need for the team to focus on tactical basics and performance improvement during the upcoming match.