Pep Guardiola denies Man City vs Atletico Madrid Champions League tie is a clash of extreme styles

Pep Guardiola has pinpointed the great quality that makes Atletico Madrid difficult opponents for Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final. The reigning champions of England and Spain will meet in just over a fortnight, with a semi-final tie against either Chelsea or Real Madrid the prize for the winner.

The Blues will face Atletico over two legs in the space of eight days, the first meeting being at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday April 5 and the return at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on Wednesday April 13.

The two clubs have never met before, despite both being regulars in European competition for the past 12 years and while City are top of the Premier League and in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Atletico’s season has not gone as smoothly. The reigning Spanish champions lie fourth in the table, 15 points behind leaders Real Madrid, and lost at home to AC Milan and Porto in the group stages of the Champions League.

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They qualified for the last eight by drawing 1-1 at home to Manchester United and then winning 1-0 in the Old Trafford return.

But Guardiola says the greatest strength of Atletico, who are always happy to sit and defend under coach Diego Simeone, is that they are capable of playing their own game while negating any advantages of the opposition.

“They went through an incredibly tough group stage and in the games against United over 180 minutes they were better - the game in Madrid they had a fantastic first half. It is a team, they are what they are.

“They are able to avoid who you are, their biggest quality, for the way you play you try to impose your game but it's difficult. Second leg away (makes it) more complicated. But the best eight