Pep in fresh approach to mission impossible

If Manchester City are to make up for their Bernabeu no-show.

- BY SIMON BAJKOWSKI

City are down three goals in their last-16 tie after Guardiola’s selection in the Spanish capital last week went horribly wrong.

He picked three wingers but, not only were they blunt up front, they were also punished for three bouts of average defending in an extraordinary first half that saw Federico Valverde’s first-half hat-trick.

Eyebrows may have been raised by Guardiola’s decision to give his players the day off ahead of tonight’s return leg against Real Madrid at the Etihad.

But the rationale is not too difficult to understand given the schedule demands on his players.

“I prefer today everybody be at home,” said the City boss. “We don’t have time to train.

“We’ll train tomorrow, move the legs a little and go.

“We have been together for 11 months with the (Club) World Cup so we know each other quite well.