'It's an honour' - Guardiola reveals respect for Real Madrid

Manchester City face a huge task when they take on La Liga giants Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday. 

The English champions are guest at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first semi-final of the 2021/22 Champions League season.

City will be looking to knockout another La Liga team after their champions, Atletico Madrid, were sent packing in the quarter-final stage of the competition. 

However,  ahead of the encounter between his club and Los Blancos tomorrow,  Guardiola is savoring the chance to face 13-time winners of the competition, Real Madrid, describing the tie as an "honour".

"It's an honour to be in the semi-final vs Real Madrid," Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference.

"In the last decade, we start to be there and it's an honour to be here. We try to do a good game."

Guardiola faced Real Madrid multiple times during his time as manager of their biggest rivals, Barcelona.

Manchester City have faced Real three times in the past but Guardiola added that the Cityzens have the desire to compete but can't compete with the history of clubs like Real, Liverpool in Europe.

"Now I feel how nice it is to be here with the best teams in Europe," he added.

"[We] try to be ourselves, do two exceptional games (vs Real) to reach the final. We can do it, we have so much respect for Real Madrid - how good they are."

"You want to reach the final like Liverpool and Villarreal, but never underestimate what we have done to be here."

"If we have to compete with their history. We don't stand a chance. It speaks for itself."

"We have the desire to compete with them, it's a chance to improve,  we want to try it - try, suffer when we suffer, stick together. Try to attack best as possible. Before the last decade, we were never here, reaching the final is always a good lesson for us."