Claude Makelele Says Manchester City Overcome Champions League Stage Fright

According to former French international Claude Makelele, Manchester City has overcome their Champions League stage fright. The team is set to face off against Real Madrid in the semi-finals, in a repeat of last year’s exit at the hands of Los Blancos.

Pep Guardiola, who has only won one Champions League title with Barcelona in 2011, is under scrutiny once again as his European record is being analyzed ahead of the Madrid trip. The question remains whether or not his squad can overcome their mental barrier in the competition.

Makelele, a former Los Blancos star, acknowledged that Real Madrid is the best team in the world, but he also noted that City is different this season in the Champions League. “Real Madrid are still the best team in the world, but City now understand how this competition is played,” he said, according to reports from Marca.

He also mentioned that City now has a more compact team and has learned from the competition. “They lost, lost, lost… but gained experience from winning the Premier League. Guardiola understands that the Champions League requires a different way of playing.”

City reached their only Champions League final appearance in 2021, but they knocked Real Madrid out in the previous campaign.