San Francisco Frontiers - Guardiola fears Man City burnout with Real clash looming

After beating Club Brugge on Wednesday to scramble into the knockout stages, Guardiola's side were pitted against the 15-time European champions in Friday's play-off round draw.

City will host Real in the first leg on February 11 or 12 before travelling to Madrid for the return leg a week later.

It is part of a brutal period for City, who travel to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday and have top-flight matches at home to Newcastle and Liverpool either side of the second leg.

They also have an FA Cup fourth round trip to Leyton Orient and a league game at Tottenham in February.

"Well it looks like a derby already, four years in a row facing Madrid," Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

"The draw could have been nicer? Yes. Bayern Munich was extremely difficult. Real Madrid difficult, we know that."

With City battling to qualify for next season's Champions League, as well as trying to win this year's tournament, Guardiola will have difficult selection decisions to make throughout the crucial period.

While other European leagues adjust their fixtures to give clubs in the Champions League more time to prepare, the English top flight maintains a hectic schedule throughout the season.

"Normally in the Premier League they always put toughest schedules for teams in Europe," Guardiola said.

"Schedule the most difficult ones because it is tough to play against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, but the problem is in the middle is Newcastle."

- Fixture pile-up -

Pressed on whether the Premier League champions deserve more help from domestic authorities over the schedule, Guardiola said: "Are you asking me this daft question after many years? Come on. Don't ask me to say something impolite.

"Always for many years it has been like this. I remember Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger made the same complaints.

"Do you think it is going to change? The broadcasters decide, they don't ask me what is better to play.

"I'm not complaining because we won trebles and had incredible success doing that.

"I would love (more time) absolutely. But if you don't like it, go to another country, don't be Manchester City manager."

The draw sets up the fifth two-legged tie between City and Real in the past six seasons.

Real ended City's Champions League campaign in the quarter-finals last season but City beat Real in the 2022/23 semi-finals on their way to winning the Champions League for the first time.

Guardiola's hopes of repeating that triumph would be significantly boosted by the return of Rodri.

City have struggled badly without the Spain midfielder, who was initially ruled out for the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal in September.

But the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner has made good progress and believes he can be back before the end of the season.

"He is positive. But ACL is ACL for every football player and every athlete. You have to respect the human body," Guardiola said.

"To win one month and after have setbacks for the next season is not intelligent. Of course he wants to play tomorrow, I know that. It is going really well. Step by step we respect that."

M.Powell--SFF