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Topics: Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid, Champions League
Josh Lawless
Topics: Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid, Champions League
Carlo Ancelotti has already named the team which Real Madrid are looking to avoid in this season's Champions League as we head into the final batch of fixtures.
Los Blancos won the competition for a record 15th time last season, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley courtesy of goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
But Real have struggled immensely in Europe this season, suffering defeats to AC Milan and Liverpool before turning things around with back-to-back wins over Atalanta and Red Bull Salzburg.
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The last result, a 5-1 thumping of Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu, moved them up to 16th in the Champions League on 12 points.
Although it's not been a plain-sailing European campaign for Real, they have secured qualification for the play-off round at the absolute minimum.
Teams one to eight avoid a play-off, with those ranked between ninth and 24 forced into a two-legged fixture.
Any team between 25th and 26th will be eliminated from the competition and at the moment there is a genuine chance that 2023 winners Manchester City suffer the ultimate humiliation.
Pep Guardiola's are 25th, one place off the final play-off spot after throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
City led through goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland, but PSG turned it around on their own patch with strikes from Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos.
City, who haven't won in their last four Champions League games, now need to beat Club Brugge in a crunch final fixture at the Etihad Stadium to avoid elimination.
Ancelotti was asked about City's situation and revealed he is hoping that they are dumped out of the tournament.
Speaking in a press conference, the Italian said: “They are one of the candidates to win the Champions League again and it would be good news if they fail to qualify."
City are on eight points from seven games but have a superior goal difference to their next opponents, who are three points ahead.
The Belgian side won't be any pushovers though, who have been on a 19-game unbeaten run since losing to AC Milan in October.