In difficulty, Ruben Dias saw the opportunity for beauty. In a glamour tie, Pep Guardiola saw a punishment that he readily accepted Manchester City deserved. Their meetings with Real Madrid have been quarter-finals or semi-finals. In each of the last three seasons, the victor has gone on to win the Champions League. Now, rivalries are renewed in a knockout play-off. City are unaccustomed to facing Real at a stage that also includes Club Brugge and Brest.
City, who were 45 minutes from elimination from an oversized group, know the alternative was worse. Guardiola said: “When you finish 22nd, you cannot ask for any favour.” City didn’t get one in the draw, either, though as the alternative to Madrid was Bayern Munich, none was possible. “Always I believe what happens in football, normally you have to deserve it. And we didn’t deserve it.”
