Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are facing a period of reflection after being eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid. Beyond the defeat, the match exposed signs of fatigue in a squad that has dominated European football in recent years.

Real Madrid cannot afford further slip-ups if they are to win LaLiga for a second year running, Carlo Ancelotti has warned after three games without a win. Madrid trounced Manchester City to reach the Champions League’s last 16 in midweek,

Manchester City and Liverpool lock horns once again and this game is going to be so intriguing given the situations both teams are in. MORE — Preview, watch live, prediction for Man City v Liverpool Pep Guardiola’s City are reeling from their midweek defeat at Real Madrid which saw them knocked out of the UEFA Champions League.

After a successful UEFA Champions League's playoff where Real Madrid were able to eliminate Manchester City also thanks to an exciting hat trick from French star Kylian Mbappe in the return leg, Carlo Ancelotti's men will be immediately back at the Santiago Bernabeu to host Girona.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Champions League playoff second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid,

Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick, Erling Haaland stayed on the bench injured and Real Madrid dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League on Wed

Though they’re obviously paid to spout controversial statements and spark debate, football pundits, especially former top-level professionals like Jamie Carragher, should know better than this. The former Liverpool defender said Manchester City striker Erling Haaland did not want to play the Champions League rematch against Real Madrid,

Diego Simeone reacts to the showdown between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

Madrid started the game in excellent fashion, with Kylian Mbappe latching onto a long ball over the top in the fourth minute before lobbing Ederson in the City goal. They then doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute, with Mbappe collecting the ball on the edge of the box before dribbling past defenders and finishing.

Real Madrid have won the away first leg of a European tie on 40 occasions. If Pep Guardiola wants a sense of how hard the task ahead of them is it is perhaps encapsulated in one statistic -- only on two of the previous 39 occasions have Los Merengues been eliminated from European competition.

Martin Green has locked in his best bets for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League match of Man City vs. Real Madrid