Carlo Ancelotti: Real Madrid manager wants to avoid facing Manchester City in Champions League play-offs

Updated 30/01/2025 at 11:00 GMT

Real Madrid were forced to settle for a place in the UEFA Champions League play-off round despite a resounding 3-0 victory at Brest in their final league phase match. Jude Bellingham found the net to supplement a Rodrygo brace, but Carlo Ancelotti's side finished 11th in the table, and will face either Manchester City or Celtic in the newly-introduced play-off stage before the last 16.

'We want to avoid Manchester City' - Real Madrid boss Ancelotti braced for potential clash

Video credit: Eurosport

Carlo Ancelotti said he does "not like" playing Manchester City after his Real Madrid side learnt their potential UEFA Champions League play-off opponents.

Madrid, who beat Ligue 1 outfit Brest 3-0 on the final matchday of the league phase, finished 11th in the table, not enough for automatic entry into the knockout stages of the competition’s new format.

As such, the defending champions will be forced to play a play-off match in order to progress into the last 16.

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They learned their potential opponents immediately after the full-time whistle: Los Blancos will play either Manchester City, the 2022 winners, or Scottish champions Celtic, who fell to a late 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa.

Jude Bellingham was on target for Madrid in their 3-0 victory in France, while Rodrygo bagged a brace for Ancelotti’s side, who could face either city rivals Atletico Madrid or Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 should they beat either City or Celtic in the play-offs.

The Italian manager revealed afterwards that he does not like facing Pep Guardiola’s City - even though Madrid beat them en route to the final last term - claiming the Premier League champions were "more likely" to lift the Champions League trophy once more.

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"City are more likely to win the Champions League, that's the reality," Ancelotti said.

"We don't like playing against City, but if we have to play City, we'll do it, as we have in previous years."

'We're not afraid of anyone' - Courtois

Madrid have faced City in the Champions League for the past three seasons, beating them twice and losing once, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the 15-time European champions are "not afraid of anyone".

"I've said it before, we didn't miss out on the top eight today, but in other games," Courtois told Movistar.

"We'll have to play the play-off, and see who we play against. It's our job to be ready, and wait. But we're not afraid of anyone.

"It is what it is. We played them in knockout games last year, two years ago, and three years ago. If we have to play City, if you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat the best."