Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City team were "nervous" against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening due to their failure to overcome Tottenham three years ago.
City will take a lead a one goal lead to the Spanish capital after a thrilling 4-3 victory against Real at the Etihad. Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva cancelled out a brace from Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior's strike.
Guardiola's side famously lost their Champions League clash to Tottenham in April 2019. The tie finished 4-4 on aggregate and Spurs progressed via the away goals rule - which hands the advantage to the team who scored the most away goals in the event of a draw.
The second leg of that quarter-final was a 4-3 thriller at the Etihad after Spurs had won the first game 1-0. Fernando Llorente's 73rd minute goal was enough to level the tie on aggregate and send Mauricio Pochettino's team through against the odds.
Yet it was a controversial goal, with many believing Llorente had handled the ball. VAR did not agree - nor did it overturn the penalty given against Aymeric Laporte for handball on Tuesday evening. That spot kick allowed Benzema to make it 4-3.
Guardiola has lamented the referee's decision against Laporte, comparing it to the incident involving Llorente three years ago. "We went out of the Champions League to Tottenham when Llorente with the hand," the City boss told BT Sport.
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"Today it is a hand for Laporte. It happens. All we can do is perform as we perform. The quality of Real Madrid is such they can punish you. What we have done with the ball and without the ball, creating chances and chances and chances I can't ask anything else.
"I say to the players to rest. Leeds now is the most important thing and we go to Madrid to win. Both teams want to attack and have the quality to play. Football is a fantastic spectacle. Congratulations to Carlo and his team as they are so good. At the same time, we saw ourselves that we can be there."
City's next game is against Leeds at Elland Road on Saturday. The defending champions are top of the Premier League, one point clear of Liverpool in second with five games to go. City are yet to win silverware this season.
On his team's performance against Real, Guardiola added: "It was a fantastic game for both sides. We did many good things. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more. But two games and we have another one in one week.
"We played a fantastic game against an incredible team. The moments where they rise and come back into the game in the first half I think we gave them as our build-up was so nervous. Normally we are so safe and so good. Also they press really good and strong.
"All around the world and for Manchester City, we are so proud. But it is about reaching the final and sometimes football happens. We go to Madrid to try to win the game."
