Pep Guardiola pushes Manchester City to 'fire on all cylinders' against Real Madrid

Now that the domestic seasons around Europe are wrapping up one by one, eyes are starting to focus on the remaining matches of the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is pushing his team to approach their upcoming fixture against Real Madrid with all guns blazing.

The newly-crowned La Liga champions will travel to the Etihad Stadium on August 7 to try to mount an inspiring comeback. The first leg of their round-of-16 tie had already been played before the coronavirus pandemic halted sporting events around the globe back in March.

As it stands, City leads Real Madrid 2-1. WIth two away goals under their belt, Guardiola's men already have one foot in the quarterfinals. However, if there is any team that can turn things around, then that would have to be Real Madrid. The Spaniard knows the team very well, and he knows that they need to "fire on all cylinders" if they want to complete the job.

"Now we are incredibly excited and incredibly optimistic about the game against Madrid, for the players we have," said Guardiola, in an interview quoted by the Winsford Guardian. "We know if we play at a decent level, higher than we played against Arsenal, we'll have our chance. If not, we'll be out," he added.

Manchester City will need to get their confidence back, after losing out on their title defence against a rampaging Liverpool squad. Not only that, they just lost against Arsenal, a team that is now managed by Guardiola's former assistant, Mikel Arteta.

They still have two Premier League games before officially closing their domestic campaign. However, after having secured their Champions League spot for next season, their sights are already set on the Real Madrid fixture.

After having won their 34th La Liga title, the Real Madrid squad is brimming with confidence. They will also be playing for the possibility of facing Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus in the next round. It remains to be seen who wants it more. Despite the delay caused by the pandemic, the football season is definitely back with a vengeance.