3 min readUpdated: Mar 16, 2026 07:29 PM IST
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had a stern message for his underperforming outfit ahead of the crucial Champions League Round of 16 2nd leg against Real Madrid: If you don’t believe, you can stay home. City are coming into the match after getting totally humbled by the Spanish counterparts where they were blanked 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeau.
“If they don’t believe, it’s a problem. They are adults. They have good salaries. If they don’t believe in that in the Champions League, go home, stay home. We have to try. What do we have to lose?,” Guardiola said.
“Madrid never came back in history? I don’t know how many – 50 Champions League games, they never came back from 3-0? Of course, it’s a tough result. But we have to try, for respect for the people, for fans, for our job, you know?,” he added.
Guardiola also explained why he gave the City players a day off after their 1-1 draw vs West Ham. “The players are at home with their families today. And then they’ll send each other WhatsApp messages, I imagine, and tomorrow we’ll see each other,” the Manchester City manager said.
“I don’t have a specific plan, apart from to just try,” Guardiola said. It will have to be,” he added, “a perfect game in many, many departments — with our people, the referee decisions. Many, many things have to be so good.”
On Saturday, City lost further ground on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday as they were held to a draw at West Ham United, which left them nine points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. After Arsenal left it late to beat Everton 2-0, Bernardo Silva put City ahead in the 31st minute with a fortunate chip over goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, before Konstantinos Mavropanos headed home Jarrod Bowen’s corner four minutes later.
City poured forward with increasing desperation in search of a winner after the break, but Erling Haaland was denied by Hermansen and scuffed a shot wide as West Ham deservedly clung on to a precious point in their relegation battle.
Story continues below this ad
Manchester City remained second with 61 points from 30 games and West Ham moved up to 17th with 29, one ahead of Nottingham Forest who have a game in hand.
