Manchester City face their Champions League demons against Real Madrid

What City will face is more than Benzema, Vinícius Júnior and the rest. It is an aura of entitlement and arrogance; the proclamations on the pre-match tifos

FIRST LEG: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid. Pic: PA

For Pep Guardiola, it is not so much the thrill of the chase, although that is plainly a part of the equation. It is being in it to feel it. The Manchester City manager has talked on numerous occasions this season about how proud he is that his team are yet again in the shake-up for the Premier League and Champions League titles.

The way that Guardiola explains it is a little like how the top golfers and tennis players approach their business. Concentrate on your end of things; the preparations, both mental and physical; the in-game movements and actions. If you leave nothing on the course or the court, there can be no regrets. If you win, it is wonderful. If you fall short, the opponent has just been too good.