This is Manuel Pellegrini’s ninth European campaign and whether Manchester City win or lose against Real Madrid on Wednesday, his impressive record in continental competition continues.
The 62-year-old has never failed to lead his side through to the knockout rounds. That is perhaps par for the course at Real Madrid, whom he guided to the last 16 in 2009/10, but not for Villarreal and Málaga, nor necessarily for Manchester City.
In the UEFA Champions League his record is seven out of seven, with this season’s run to the last four matching his personal best set at Villarreal on that club’s competition debut in 2005/06. Pellegrini admits the pain of their semi-final defeat, whe…