Guardiola, el eterno rival

Despite leaving Spain in 2012, Real Madrid remains a recurring opponent throughout Pep Guardiola’s career. In fact, he has faced only three clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United) more often than Los Blancos, having played 28 matches against them – a number set to rise to 30 with the upcoming Champions League round of 16 tie that kicks off this Wednesday at the Bernabéu (9:00 PM CET/3:00 PM EST).

There are, in effect, two distinct chapters to Guardiola’s rivalry with Real Madrid. The first, as Barcelona manager between 2008 and 2012, was a nightmare for the Madrid side: nine wins in 15 encounters, including some particularly stinging defeats like the 2-6 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu in the 2008-09 season and the 5-0 thrashing in 2010-11, followed by a Catalan triumph in the Champions League semi-finals that same year.

Yet, Real Madrid was able to snatch some titles from Pep’s Barcelona, which dominated La Liga and extended its reign in Europe. This occurred in the 2010-11 Copa del Rey final, a series of ‘Clásico’ matches that heightened the tension between the two Spanish giants, with José Mourinho at the helm of the Madrid bench. A header from Cristiano Ronaldo secured the victory for Los Blancos, who repeated the feat the following season (2011-12) with another winning goal from the Portuguese forward to virtually seal the ‘Liga de los Récords’ – Mourinho’s greatest achievement as Madrid coach.

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Guardiola’s winning streak against Real Madrid took a radical turn when the Catalan coach left Spain. His first encounter with Los Blancos after that period came in the 2013-14 Champions League, resulting in a resounding 5-0 aggregate victory for the Madrid side in the semi-final before their ‘Décima’ triumph. Real Madrid won both legs, including a convincing win at Bayern Munich’s stadium, previously considered a difficult ground for them. It was the infamous match where “the trees were going to burn,” and after which Guardiola spoke of Madrid’s “athletes,” seemingly underestimating their footballing potential.

After three seasons in Germany, Guardiola joined Manchester City, where he has managed most of his European matches against Real Madrid – a classic European clash of the 21st century. As City manager, his record stands at five wins, four losses, and two draws, but Real Madrid has had the better of the head-to-head matchups, winning three ties to City’s two.

The relationship between Guardiola and Real Madrid has also evolved over the years. The tension of their early encounters, especially during the Mourinho era, has given way to a more amicable relationship with the Madrid club. The explosive press conferences, such as the “puto amo” directed at the Setúbal coach, have been replaced by statements praising the European tradition of Madrid. Following their most recent match against City in the Champions League group stage (1-2 for the English side), he said, “The more you play against the best in the world, the more you learn, the more you improve, and the better you are in the future.” He added, “We have been here several times and we have played much, much better than today and we haven’t won.”

In the pre-match press conference, he sent a message to Xabi Alonso, then still a Real Madrid coach. “I hope they pee on mine, and since they won’t pee cologne, it’s sure to head well for them.” Alonso was a coach of a similar footballing school to Guardiola, who trained him at Bayern. This Wednesday, his antagonist will be Álvaro Arbeloa, a staunch ‘Mourinhista’. It remains to be seen whether the spectacle of Madrid-City, so far limited to the playing field, will also move to the press rooms. The answer will come this Tuesday in Madrid and Manchester.

Pep Guardiola, currently 55 years ancient, has established himself as one of the greatest managers of all time, according to widespread consensus. His tactical innovations and consistent success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City have redefined modern football. His ongoing rivalry with Real Madrid, spanning over a decade, continues to captivate fans worldwide.

Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the first leg scheduled for April 9th at the Santiago Bernabéu. The return leg will be played at the Etihad Stadium on April 16th. Fans can follow the matches live on CBS Sports and Paramount+ in the United States, and on various broadcasters across Europe and Latin America.