Manuel Pellegrini says Manchester City will have a different attitude than Real Madrid showed in the first leg when it travels to Santiago Bernabeu, with the home side hoping star man Cristiano Ronaldo will be passed fit to play.
The 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal at the Etihad Stadium - which Ronaldo missed with a hamstring injury - has the tie evenly poised as the two teams meet on Wednesday bidding to reach the final in Milan.
Madrid is looking to make what would be its 14th final in Europe's elite club competition, while City has already broken new ground in the tournament this season by making it past the last-16 for the first time. The Citizens' only continental final was the Cup Winners' Cup final win over Gornik Zabrze in 1970.
The statistics are in Madrid's favor, with only 31 per cent of the teams who have drawn the home leg of a Champions League knockout tie going on to progress (nine out of 29).
Madrid has also kept a clean sheet in all five of its Champions League home games this season, but Pellegrini is going to Spain targeting an away goal that he thinks could make all the difference.
"I was surprised that Madrid sat so deep in the first leg," he told El Mundo Deportivo. "In the first half, especially, the team who wanted to get the ball higher and had more intent was ours. Perhaps at some point they were overwhelmed and maybe speculated, rightly, to play the first away match trying not to lose. Our team lacked a lot of creativity, lost the ball very quickly, but I think we had an attitude of trying to win the game.
"We will try to do exactly the same in Madrid. We will not go to the Bernabeu trying for a goalless draw. We will try to get high, press and score a goal because a draw will favor us if we score."
Asked about Madrid's home defensive record, he said: "Statistics are there to be broken and I also see Madrid playing more openly.
"In Europe we have had a breakthrough. Before I arrived, the team was eliminated in the group stage, then fell twice in the second round eliminated by Barcelona. Now we are in the semifinals - it is a club that is growing and winning titles."
Ronaldo completed training on Monday ahead of the game, while Madrid is also hoping to have Karim Benzema fit after he limped out of the opening match with his own hamstring problem at halftime.
The 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal at the Etihad Stadium - which Ronaldo missed with a hamstring injury - has the tie evenly poised as the two teams meet on Wednesday bidding to reach the final in Milan.
Madrid is looking to make what would be its 14th final in Europe's elite club competition, while City has already broken new ground in the tournament this season by making it past the last-16 for the first time. The Citizens' only continental final was the Cup Winners' Cup final win over Gornik Zabrze in 1970.
The statistics are in Madrid's favor, with only 31 per cent of the teams who have drawn the home leg of a Champions League knockout tie going on to progress (nine out of 29).
Madrid has also kept a clean sheet in all five of its Champions League home games this season, but Pellegrini is going to Spain targeting an away goal that he thinks could make all the difference.
"I was surprised that Madrid sat so deep in the first leg," he told El Mundo Deportivo. "In the first half, especially, the team who wanted to get the ball higher and had more intent was ours. Perhaps at some point they were overwhelmed and maybe speculated, rightly, to play the first away match trying not to lose. Our team lacked a lot of creativity, lost the ball very quickly, but I think we had an attitude of trying to win the game.
"We will try to do exactly the same in Madrid. We will not go to the Bernabeu trying for a goalless draw. We will try to get high, press and score a goal because a draw will favor us if we score."
Asked about Madrid's home defensive record, he said: "Statistics are there to be broken and I also see Madrid playing more openly.
"In Europe we have had a breakthrough. Before I arrived, the team was eliminated in the group stage, then fell twice in the second round eliminated by Barcelona. Now we are in the semifinals - it is a club that is growing and winning titles."
Ronaldo completed training on Monday ahead of the game, while Madrid is also hoping to have Karim Benzema fit after he limped out of the opening match with his own hamstring problem at halftime.
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