Pep Guardiola's genius reason for cancelling Man City training session can't be ignored

Manchester City's open training session was cancelled on Monday morning and Pep Guardiola could be wanting history to repeat itself

Pep Guardiola has cancelled a Manchester City open training session just one day before their crunch Champions League second-leg tie against Real Madrid. His side currently trail 3-0 on aggregate, but Guardiola has used this training trick to great effect before.

City were put to the sword when they visited the Bernabeu last week and now have it all to do as Real Madrid come to the Etihad. The squad was meant to train on Monday morning after drawing 1-1 away at West Ham on Saturday night, but the decision was made to cancel this session.

The Manchester Evening News understands that City will send 15 minutes of footage from Sunday's training session to UEFA, which broadcasters can use, and will focus all their efforts on Tuesday to seek fresh minds and bodies.

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Guardiola rarely cancels sessions, but did so last November, the day before City faced Dortmund in the Champions League. The extra rest worked a treat, as his team ran out 4-1 victors. He could be hoping history repeats itself and helps City climb the mountain they face on Tuesday evening.

In November, City had just played Bournemouth in the Premier League and Guardiola chose to cancel a Monday session, as he did this week. He said at the time: "We will train tomorrow morning [the day of the Dortmund game].

"I've done it a few times - maybe not a lot but a few times. Bournemouth was so demanding that I prefer they stay at home and tomorrow morning we train. No one is going to change the schedule because we have a lot of competitions, so it is what it is."

A Phil Foden brace and goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki secured a 4-1 win the day after this previous cancelled session. This time around, Guardiola will be hoping lightning can strike twice and is confident his well-rested team can turn a three-goal deficit around.

Speaking after the draw with West Ham, he said: "If they don't believe [in a comeback], it's a problem. They are adults. They have good salaries. If they don't believe in that in the Champions League, go home, stay home.

"We have to try. What do we have to lose? Madrid never came back in history? I don't know how many, 50 Champions League games, they never came back from 3-0?

"Of course, it was a tough result. But we have to try, for respect for the people and for fans and for our job, you know? We have to try to be more clinical.

"We have to take a step forward in that sense. I think we have the rest of it. We have the football, the ability to create chances," he continued.

"It's true that the other day we couldn't do it but we have to lift the team, because Tuesday is an important game, and above all, the team believes."