Pep Guardiola’s ex player makes daring vow ahead of Man City-Real Madrid Champions League clash

• Alaba promises fireworks when he comes up against his former boss, Pep Guardiola.
• The pair worked together from 2013 to 2016 during Guardiola’s stay at Bayern Munich
• Alaba hoping to win the Champions League title with two different clubs

Real Madrid defender David Alaba has vowed to leave no stone unturned when he faces his former boss Pep Guardiola in the Champions League semifinal. Alaba relived his fond memories with the City boss who coached him between 2013 and 2016.

Madrid will lock horns with Manchester City in the first semi final fixture next week. The other pairing will see Liverpool size up against this season’s surprise package Villareal.

Alaba opined that it won’t be easy against the English champions and they (Real Madrid) will have to prepare well. The Austrian captain isn’t a newcomer on such grand stages having won the Champions League with Bayern before moving to the Spanish capital.

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Speaking to the Sport Bild in an interview earlier this week, Alaba also heaped praise on Chelsea who he faced in the quarterfinals.

It was madness. We knew Chelsea were going to press from the beginning. They did very well. But even after the third goal, we didn’t stop believing in ourselves and we didn’t give up. I think we have shown this season what we are capable of doing in situations like this.

Carlo Ancelloti’s side know that Manchester City will be no pushovers. Guardiola has fumbled on a number of occasions in the UEFA Champions League and he will have his eyes firmly set on going all the way this season.

Benzema is world class

City lost to Chelsea in last season’s final. For them to reach successive finals, Guardiola will have to come up with a way to stop the in-form Karim Benzema.

Alaba says that he has always believed that the French striker is world class. Benzema, has almost single-handedly dragged the Los Blancos to this stage. He scored back to back hat tricks as Real Madrid dumped out French Champions PSG and Chelsea.

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He also leads La Liga top-scoring charts with 25 goals despite missing two penalties in their latest victory against Osasuna. Alaba believes that there is still more to come from him.

Pep Guardiola won Bundesliga three times and the German cup twice during his stay at Bayern Munich. He is yet to replicate his European successes with the Barcelona side of 2009 with any other side.

Alaba meanwhile, will be hoping to join an exclusive list of players to have won the Champions League title with two different clubs. The first leg is next week on Tuesday with the return leg a week later at the Bernabeu.

The 29-year-old will also want to put his personal disappointment of failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup with Austria. They were bundled out in the second round by a Gareth Bale-inspired Wales.

Real Madrid see off Osasuna

Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Real Madrid beating a resilient Osasuna side. Benzema was off-colour but the league leaders got the job done anyway to take them closer to the La Liga title.