• Left to right|: Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and John Stones. AP
    Left to right|: Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and John Stones. AP
  • Manchester City's Raheem Sterling during training ahead of their Champions League against Real Madrid on Werdnesday. Reuters
    Manchester City's Raheem Sterling during training ahead of their Champions League against Real Madrid on Werdnesday. Reuters
  • Left to right: Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero of Manchester City share a joke during training. Getty
    Left to right: Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero of Manchester City share a joke during training. Getty
  • John Stones, left, and Kevin De Bruyne. Getty
    John Stones, left, and Kevin De Bruyne. Getty
  • Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero. Reuters
    Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero. Reuters
  • Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, right, and assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell. Reuters
    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, right, and assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell. Reuters
  • Manchester City players during training. Reuters
    Manchester City players during training. Reuters
  • Manchester City's David Silva, right. Reuters
    Manchester City's David Silva, right. Reuters
  • Manchester City's Phil Foden. Reuters
    Manchester City's Phil Foden. Reuters
  • Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, right, and assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell. Reuters
    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, right, and assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell. Reuters
  • Manchester City's Raheem Sterling. Reuters
    Manchester City's Raheem Sterling. Reuters
  • Manchester City players during training. Reuters
    Manchester City players during training. Reuters
  • Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy, left, and Gabriel Jesus. Reuters
    Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy, left, and Gabriel Jesus. Reuters
  • Sergio Aguero of Manchester City. Getty
    Sergio Aguero of Manchester City. Getty
  • Manchester City's David Silva. Reuters
    Manchester City's David Silva. Reuters
  • Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, left, and Pep Guardiola. Getty
    Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, left, and Pep Guardiola. Getty
  • Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte. Reuters
    Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte. Reuters

In pictures: Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero training with Manchester City teammates ahead of Real Madrid clash


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Manchester City face a real test of their Champions League credentials again this week when they take on Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Both teams sit second in their respective domestic leagues, with City a humongous 22 points behind leaders Liverpool, while Real sit just two points behind old rivals Barcelona in La Liga.

While City manager Pep Guardiola has seen his team win a clean sweep of trophies since moving to England – Two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups – the big one in Europe continues to elude him.

In fact, you have to go back to 2011 and his time in charge at Barcelona for the last time the Catalan won the competition.

And City's German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has admitted this week that until the club lift the Champions League trophy, it will always feel like something is missing.

"I don't actually have much time, that's why I try to push my team-mates as much as possible," the 29-year-old told Goal. "But yeah, I'm confident that we have all the opportunities to get to a Champions League final.

"The Champions League is maybe the most prestigious competition in the game and if you don't win it, as much as we are a great team, you feel like there's always something missing.

"Obviously, we try to do our best but it's not something that you can talk about and then it comes. It’s something you have to try to achieve."