Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti hopes the Champions League holders will avoid being drawn to play Manchester City in the knockout-round play-offs. (More Sports News)
Los Blancos will face either City or Celtic for a plac𝓰e in the🃏 last 16, having finished 11th in the 36-team table following Wednesday's 3-0 away win at Brest.
Rodrygo netted twice either side of Jude Bellin🙈gham getting on the scoresheet, but results elsewhere did not go in Madrid's favour as they missed out on♊ a top-eight finish.
Having lost three of their first five Champi𝄹ons League games this season, Madrid have now won their last three in a row.
The 15-time European champions have now reachedꦇ the knockout rounds on all 29 of their appearances in the competition.
Ancelotti has led Madrid to three Champions League triumphs, with two of those coming in ♉his sec🤡ond spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.
On🌳 both occasions – in 2021-22 and 2023-24 – they eliminated City en route to lifting the trophy, but the Italian would rather 🌼avoid another meeting with Pep Guardiola's team.
"We don't like to play against City, but if we have to, we'll do it like on other occasions," Ancelotti told reporters after Madrid's win in Fra𒐪nce.
"City have more chances to win the Chꦑampions League [than Cꦆeltic]."
He also told Movistar in a post-gam🗹e interview: "It's a draw and what comes, comes. To win the Champions League you have to win every game."
The draw will be held on Friday in Nyon.
"If we want to win this competition wꦇe have to beat the best teams," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said when asked about the prospect of facing the 2023 victors.
Ancelotti added that a slow start to the league phase had cost Madrid the opport🌃unity to s💛kip the play-offs, saying: "We should have woken up earlier in this competition. Now it's like this.
Rodrygo ech🥂oed those sentiments as he said: "Top eight was our objectꦚive but we didn't do well in some games. Now we have to keep improving."
