Four days after a significant victory over Crystal Palace at Old Selhurts Park, Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League after a desperately disappointing defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Before the match, City’s manager Pep Guardiola said that he wants to see if the fans really want to reach the Champions League semi-finals.
“If tomorrow night they don’t help us… do it for the guys, they are so proud. We need them in our bad moments, at this stage we cannot go through. I’m really curious to how our fans will be.
“I want the crowd to be like it was against Liverpool. I want to see if our fans really want to get to a semi-final. I want to see it tomorrow. Everything is about desire, the atmosphere at Liverpool (home) is good enough for me, I hope this is better.
“I’ve arrived many times in quarter finals and semi finals, every time away the support is incredible and we need it. I want to see that they want to get to the semi finals, not just the players, the fans too. I want to see that.” Guardiola added.
When asked about their schedule the Spaniard managaer said: “I love this kind of challenge. Tottenham had six days’ rest and we had two before the first leg. I don’t understand why the Premier League put that game at 12.30. I don’t understand it.”
“When I was in Barcelona, I listened many times to Sir Alex Ferguson, [Arsene] Wenger and [Jose Mourinho] about that. The big clubs never complain, it’s what it is.
Tottenham Hotspur stuns Manchester City to reach Champions League semi-finals. (Source:www.sportsnet.com)
“If we don’t win we’ll be out. Two finals for us, I’ve had that feeling for a while. Every time you arrive in the last stages, at this period last year we were already champions but we have an incredible opponent.
“Normally with 86 points we would be champions. Both teams deserve to be champions. This week and the weeks at the end of the season, we are going to prepare for next season.” Guardiola added.