Two years ago when Manchester City came to Madrid, Real united behind a common enemy.

Erling Haaland was depicted as a monster and a cyborg in the Spanish press as the kings of the Champions League wanted to flex their authority over a player who had spurned the chance to join them. City just about got out alive, with a Kevin De Bruyne equaliser earning them a 1-1 draw that set up the famous 4-0 win.

Last year, a strange feeling of fragility and hurt welcomed City into the city with Real a wounded animal out for revenge. There was caution after what they had suffered at the Etihad, and a determination that the visit of Pep Guardiola's side would not be a further swing to Manchester in the balance of power.

READ MORE: I played for Man City vs Real Madrid - then came the lowest point of my life

READ MORE: Bernardo Silva opens up on Man City 'dark place' as Real Madrid loom

This season, City have arrived to a storm that is absolutely nothing to do with them. All the talk at the Bernabeu is about referees having it in for the most successful team in Spain.

English reporters were interviewed for broadcast channels before Guardiola and Bernardo Silva sat down for their press conference, and there were more questions about the difference between 'f*** off' and 'f*** you' than there were about the game. The manager was asked by Spanish media about the furore around Jude Bellingham's dissent, hours after English media had been denied any questions at the Real Madrid press conference.

"My English is good but I've never understood f*** off or f*** you so maybe I need more time in England to understand," said Guardiola. "There have always been decisions.

"The problem is not the translation, it's the intention. You should ask Jude what his intention was. That's what matters. Maybe you can insult someone with a great smile on your face and that wouldn't be that bad, right?

"I read that there is an investigation - wow. Come on. Leave him alone."

Carlo Ancelotti disputed Guardiola's suggestion that City only had a one per cent chance of going through in this tie, yet the game itself felt like a sideshow compared to the civic campaign that has just been started up in protest at referees. Rather than a latest edition of this modern Clasico, the arrival of the Blues simply felt like an opportunity to get more opinions from England on swear words.

However bad City have been this season, they deserve better than that. They also know what they have to do on the pitch if they want to hear more cursing.