Pep Guardiola is not expecting any help from the Premier League as Manchester City prepare to face Real Madrid in the Champions League.

It is the toughest draw possible for the play-off in February, even more difficult than the only other option at the end of the first stage: Bayern Munich. City have played Real for the past three seasons in the knockout stages, with the winner of the tie on each occasion going on to win the whole competition.

City will be firm underdogs this time given the struggles they have had since November, although Guardiola is hoping for some players back. However, the manager is resigned to having to compete with Real around a particularly tricky run of league fixtures that includes Newcastle between the two Champions League legs and Liverpool in the days after they return from the Bernabeu.

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"It looks like a derby already - four years in a row facing Madrid," he said. "Madrid or Bayern were both really tough and hopefully we can arrive for the first leg here and then one week later in Madrid as best as possible.

"We started in Paris and then Chelsea, so we are already there with difficult games. The schedule is what it is, in the Premier League everyone has to play everyone but it normally happens in the Premier League that the teams in Europe have the toughest schedule.

"It's tough playing against Real or Bayern and the problem is in the middle playing Newcastle. They are always so kind in the calendar for many years.

"The broadcasters decide. They don't ask me if it's better to play Tuesday or Wednesday. In Portugal and France they play on Friday. We played on Sunday before we went to Paris. We lost 4-2 and I didn't complain one. It's fine, it has always been like that. When I see the calendar, it is what it is."