Pep Guardiola has revealed he has told his Manchester City players to take what might be a 'once-in-a-lifetime' chance to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
City currently sit one point above Liverpool in the Premier League table, but the pair turn their attention to the Champions League this week amid their ongoing battle to be crowned champions of England.
Guardiola’s side host Real Madrid at the Etihad tonight, while in the other semi-final, Liverpoo l host Villarreal at Anfield tomorrow night.
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And ahead of the game, Guardiola said: “We have to be so precise against them. I said to the players: ‘Enjoy it, prepare for the game. It could be once in a lifetime [experience], nobody knows.’ There is no sense to not enjoy it. We want to be ourselves.”
Before the Catalan added on his side reaching the final four: “That’s why big clubs stay there for a long time. When you win, take a shower and go again.
“We are learning that. I felt that in Barcelona as a young boy and we are trying to build that culture where we have to win every game and fight to win every game.”
While the City boss also believes that his side should forget about Real’s pedigree in the Champions League and just simply play Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
He said: “The history is there – we cannot change it but it’s 11 v 11. The players will decide this.
“We are playing a team who have been here many times, that’s why they have this history and we don’t. We can’t imagine what is going to happen but it’s 11 v 11 so it is about how the players move, how strong they are mentally, that will make the difference. Carlo and myself won’t win it. The players will.
“If we have to compete with history, we don’t have any chance. They are better, it speaks for itself. But we have the desire to play against them and take on this incredible test and we want to improve.
“We are going to suffer together and then, when we attack, do it as well as possible. This would be the same against Bayern Munich or Barça. They’ve been in it many times. Before the last decade we were never here. Reaching the final [last year] is a good lesson for us and for the future it will be good.”
Guardiola then concluded, saying: “Listen, as far as I’m a manager, it will never be accomplished, I’ll have another dream or target. We try to do our best, suffer together when playing bad, hopefully as few minutes as possible. This is the motive to do my job.”
