After City’s 6-3 aggregate defeat to Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick helping Madrid secure a 3-1 win in the second leg, Guardiola acknowledged that Madrid, the defending champions, are the favorites to lift the trophy once again.
He named three other clubs as potential challengers but did not include Arsenal, who finished third in the group stage. “Madrid are definitely a contender,” Guardiola said after his team’s exit. “There are other strong teams, but Madrid are always the favorites. Liverpool, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain are all having great seasons, but Madrid are still the top contenders.”
This marks the third time in four years that City have been knocked out of the competition by Madrid, with Guardiola admitting that this time, the better team won. “They deserved it. This season, we haven’t been as good,” he said. “In the past, we were better than Madrid, but this time, they were better.”
Guardiola reflected on the loss, accepting it as part of the game. “We have to learn from this and move on. There are still many games left in the season, including the FA Cup and the league. Our goal is to finish in the top four and return to the Champions League next season.” He also praised his squad for their consistent performances in the competition over the years, despite the elimination.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will face PSV or Feyenoord in the Champions League round of 16 after the Dutch teams knocked out Juventus and AC Milan, respectively.
