When the English and Spanish league leaders face off for a place in the final, the coach expects two close matches.
To beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, Manchester City must be "extraordinary" in both games, according to Pep Guardiola, who also urged his team to keep to their usual playing style.
On Tuesday, the Premier League leaders will play the Spanish side in the first leg of their last-four matchup.
When the two teams played in the round of 16 of the competition in the 2019-20 season, City came out on top 4-2 on aggregate.
Guardiola expects tough matches this time around as well, but believes his team must be themselves to have a chance of reaching the final.
"Listen, we went through this tournament versus Real Madrid, but it was two tight games," he stated at a press conference.
"We've also been eliminated in the quarterfinals in previous years when the competition was close. The reality is that we've previously been there in the last decade, battling for the Champions League, making it through the group stage and into the semi-finals." It's enjoyable to be a part of the process. I've always had that sensation in Barcelona and [at Bayern] Munich, and now that we've arrived here [in the semi-finals], I've begun to expect to be here.
"I've always got the feeling, especially now that we've been in that situation a few times, how good it is to be there among the best teams in the world and Europe," he says.
"Right now, we're attempting to be ourselves while competing well." To go to the final, we'll need two outstanding games, which we should be able to do.
"We don't need to emphasise how much we admire Real Madrid or how good they are." This concludes my remarks. It's a privilege to be here with you.
"Just like Madrid, Villarreal, and Liverpool, we want to reach to the final and win it." At the same time, I'll never forget what we've accomplished by coming to this point. "In no way."
Before the match at Etihad Stadium, Guardiola has a selection problem. Kyle Walker and John Stones are doubts due to injuries, while Joao Cancelo is suspended for the match.
Due to a dearth of options at right-back, Guardiola has denied reports that striker Gabriel Jesus could be called upon to fill the spot.
He expressed himself as follows: "Kyle hasn't trained in ten days, and John hasn't played since Brighton. As a result, I'm unsure whether they'll train. We'll observe their reactions and make a choice the next day.
"Jesus will not respond in kind! He ought to be able to do so, in my opinion. Vinicius Junior vs. Gabriel could be a great matchup, but he isn't going to participate. Maybe for a few minutes but no, he won’t play there .
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