Pep Guardiola & Carlo Ancelotti react as Man City face potential Real Madrid play-off | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has argued his side will be the underdogs when they face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the Champions League play-offs.

City's miserable form in the competition this season left them needing to beat Club Brugge on the final matchday to book a spot in the play-offs. After a first-half scare, they ultimately made light work of the Belgian side to finish 22nd in the standings.

Their reward for that victory is a play-off tie against either Madrid or Bayern, whose own European struggles saw them finish 11th and 12th respectively.

"Going to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be really tough," Guardiola admitted. "But it's in two weeks and in two weeks we have a few players back, the new signings back, so hopefully we can do two good games.

"They are better than us right now, both of them, but I don’t know what's going to happen in the next two weeks. Ruben [Dias] and Nathan [Ake] are back, Jeremy [Doku], Oscar [Bobb], new signings... If everybody comes back, we can compete."

Pep Guardiola was in high spirits after Man City's nervy victory / Carl Recine/GettyImages

On the other side of things, while one of Madrid or Bayern will face City, the other will end up with a play-off tie against Scottish side Celtic.

"We have to wait for the draw, if we get City it will be more complicated, of course," Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti reflected. "We are happy and pleased, it is a shame not to have woken up earlier in this competition.

"City are more likely to win the Champions League [than Celtic]. It's a fact. We don't like playing against them. There will be a draw and whatever comes, comes. Not much changes: to win the Champions League, you have to beat the biggest teams."