Real Madrid coach, Zinedine Zidane has said that Manchester City could be extra motivated following a UEFA Champions league two-year ban on the English club.
Real Madrid and City meet in the Champions League last 16 first leg at the Bernabeu on 26 February, with the return game at Etihad Stadium on 17 March. Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the encounter, the former France captain said:
It’s a rival who are going to be very, very difficult.
For what has happened, their motivation will be immense…
It’s a team, anyway, who will be a difficult opponent, knowing also how they have been doing in the Premier League. So they will have extra motivation.
City who have never been further than the Champions League semi-finals, and have only reached as far as the quarter-finals in their three seasons under Pep Guardiola, were banned from the European competition for two years for “serious” financial fair-play breaches.
City plan to appeal against the ban and have 10 days to take the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Meanwhile, winning the Champions League is a more realistic prospect than retaining the Premier League title, with City trailing leaders Liverpool by 25 points in the table.
More: BBC Sport