Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League opening signifier shot lucifer betwixt Manchester City and Club Brugge astatine the Etihad Stadium successful Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said connected Wednesday nighttime that helium does not spot the nine winning the Champions League this season. This was aft a nerve-wracking lucifer against Club Brugge who gave City a scare with a first-half extremity earlier the 2023 champions came backmost to triumph the contention 3-1.
“Right now, nary (I don’t). I’m truthful pragmatic, the world is the reality,” Guardiola responded to a question connected if City tin triumph the Champions League this play astatine the post-match property conference.
The Spaniard besides said that helium wasn’t peculiarly a large instrumentality of the caller Champions League format due to the fact that they “suffered a lot” with conscionable 2 wins from their archetypal 7 matches.
“I would accidental I don’t similar (the caller format), due to the fact that we endure a lot. We were connected the perch, 45 minutes to beryllium out. It is an unthinkable acquisition for maine and the players that thing is for granted,” helium said.
He besides shared a glimpse of what helium told the players erstwhile they were trailing 0-1 successful fractional time.
“I told them it was over, that we are out…” helium said, earlier adding, “In the 2nd half, we assistance our psyche and our hearts were free. For contiguous we are successful the adjacent round, that’s good.”
City look either Bayern Munich oregon Real Madrid successful the two-legged knockout round, and portion City’s signifier this play does not bode good against either of the European heavyweights.
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In helium match, City flirted with a catastrophe earlier rallying to bushed Club Brugge 3-1 successful a must-win game. Trailing 1-0 astatine halftime, and past sitting 26th successful the unrecorded standings, the 2023 title-winner was sparked by substitute Savinho to debar elimination.
(With bureau inputs)