Manchester City felt deja vu on Friday after being paired with Real Madrid in the Champions League as Pep Guardiola claimed the grudge match is now a Clasico.
The two giants going head-to-head was the standout tie of the playoff draw in Nyon and have now been pitted against each other in four consecutive seasons and for a fifth time in six campaigns.
Guardiola has prevailed twice against his old foes, while Real knocked City out of last year’s competition on penalties at the end of a dramatic quarter-final.
City host Real in the first leg before travelling to the Bernabeu in just over a fortnight and avoided a reunion with Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.
‘It looks like a derby already,’ Guardiola said. ‘The draw could be nicer. Madrid or Bayern were both extremely difficult and hopefully we can arrive for it as good as possible.
‘We could’ve played another one. But who is to say that playing Glasgow Celtic or another team would be (easier)? We could play awful and they go through.’
Pep Guardiola’s (left) Man City will face Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid once again
The tough draw came after City amassed only 11 points from eight group games and those extra matches this month pile on to a congested February. City have seven fixtures in 24 days, facing Arsenal on Sunday before Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham in the Premier League.
‘It’s tough playing against Real and the problem is in the middle playing Newcastle,’ Guardiola added. ‘They are always so kind in the calendar for many years. It has always been like that.
‘We don’t complain because we had incredible success dealing with this calendar, it has always been like that and we accept it.
‘Last season we played the quarters against Madrid and three days later we had the FA Cup semi at Wembley when we could have had another day.
‘When I was at Barcelona and I followed the Premier League, I remember Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger made the same complaints.
‘The broadcasters decide. They don’t ask me if it’s better to play Tuesday or Wednesday. In Portugal and France they play on Friday. We played on Sunday before we went to Paris. We lost 4-2 and I didn’t complain one. It’s fine, it has always been like that.’
Guardiola has suggested that City’s recent frugal approach to the transfer market will allow them to continue spending in the summer.
City have committed around £125million to three new signings in the winter window and are looking to further overhaul an aging team before next season.
The two giants going head-to-head was the standout tie of Friday’s playoff draw
‘Financially we were stable for the last seasons, still right now even with the investment we have done we have a big net profit for the last five seasons,’ Guardiola said.
‘Maybe in the future we will continue to do it because the club have moved financially really well over the last five years, incredibly well in terms of sales but also (signing) players who make an incredible performance for the club and who have helped us to win what we want.’