Fran Garrido sinks Guardiola with a brutal attack before the City-Real Madrid

Real Madrid has several important commitments ahead in its competitive calendar. Carlo Ancelotti's pupils, after a discreet performance in the Champions League league phase, must face Manchester City to secure a spot in the round of 16. This duel against the sky blue squad is becoming a "classic": it has occurred four consecutive times.

This matchup, determined through the UEFA draw last week, will pit two teams from the European football elite whose overall situation is not the best. Real Madrid has considerably complicated its defense of the LaLiga leadership, while Manchester City is increasingly far from the top three positions in the Premier.

The heavy defeat against Arsenal last Sunday is a significant setback in the cityzen squad's aspirations to remain English champions almost indefinitely. With a more leading Liverpool than ever, the thrashing suffered against the gunner squad has made Pep Guardiola one of the undisputed protagonists of the week.

So much so that his striking failure at the Emirates Stadium has reached "El Chiringuito de Jugones". The ease with which the team coached by the Catalan coach fell to his former assistant coach, Mikel Arteta, has provoked a harsh judgment from Fran Garrido. The coach also makes it clear that "maybe Guardiola isn't as good as he seems" judging by the results of his recent matches.

He has made it clear

The hopeful winning streak achieved in the Premier League in recent weeks was slowly bringing him closer to the fight for leadership. But his unsuccessful visit to North London definitively anchors him in the fourth position of the standings, a place they are not accustomed to. The injuries of key players in the British team, such as Rodrigo Hernández, seem to have completely disrupted Pep Guardiola's system.

This defeat against Arsenal comes in one of the matches that act as a prelude to the Champions League round of 16. Arising from that challenging schedule ahead for Manchester City are Fran Garrido's words, pointing to a Guardiola who aims to reverse the situation.

The ideal moment would be against Carlo Ancelotti's pupils, with the backdrop of the top European competition. The 24/25 Champions League campaign hasn't been kind to the former FC Barcelona player and coach either, leaving concerning images like the one seen post-match against Feyenoord.

In this context, Real Madrid doesn't lose sight of this rival's performance... aware that the Champions League changes everything. The top continental competition endows great teams with a different competitive spirit, a dynamic that the white entity itself has experienced on more than one occasion.