Pep Guardiola has called for “something special” on his part at Manchester City to save their Champions League campaign.
City, the winners of 2023, have fallen outside the 24 best in the League phase after winning only two of their first seven games and now have to defeat Club Brugge at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to stay in the competition.
“The situation we have is that we have to win the game and if not we will not continue in this competition,” Guardiola’s city manager said. “But it’s not a problem. It’s an opportunity, a challenge and we’ll face it.
“We would like to score a lot in the first 20 minutes, but I don’t think it will happen. The approach is to read the game we have to play – to be completely calm, without emotion and understand the game.
“I know these kinds of games that you need to put something special – something that has not been enough so far in this Champions League – to win the games.”
‘We haven’t been good enough’
The city finds itself in this difficult situation after delivering a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 in Paris Saint-Germain last week.
Although they are two points outside the positions of the play-off, their task is at least straightforward because Club Brugge is one of the teams on them that they can catch.
The victory, then, would be enough to grab a play-off spot and Guardiola, also a two-time winning coach with Barcelona, is accustomed to dealing with such pressures.
He said: “I’ve spent many years in the Champions League since I started my career as a manager, and these kinds of games I have played many times.
“Sooner or later you have to play these kinds of games where if you win you pass and if you don’t go out.
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“It happened more in the further stages, but we are here for the reasons we know, we were not so well, but this is a situation we have lived in many times.”
Guardiola is refusing to see the prospect of loss.
He added: “It wouldn’t be good (to lose), but I’m not thinking about it now.”
Asked if it would be embarrassing, he said, “Ask me after. I know you want it!
“Thanks for your concern again. I know how worried you are if we are out. After the game you can ask me and I will answer you.”
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‘Is a final for both sides’
The shares are also high for the Club Brugge, who enter the back of a 20 -game of unbeaten matches.
Guardiola said: “It’s a final for both. I expect a tough opponent. When a team is 20-21 invincible games because they are good. There are no secrets to that.
“They make it really well-well-changing in construction, a situation that marks man is always uncomfortable.
“We have to do it well, but in every team, Manchester City is included. There are weaknesses. You should try to discover them all and try to punish them.”
Gdardiol’s warning to city friends
Josko Garddiol celebrates after marking Manchester City’s draw against Chelsea
The city are non -protective Nathan Aka and Ruben Dias but are hopeful of John Stones, who has not started for a month, will be capable after appearing on the bench against Chelsea on Saturday.
Defendant Josko Garddiol has warned his teammates not to expect an easy trip against Club Brugge.
“I can tell you that they are a good team,” he said. “It won’t be easy. I faced them three years ago with RB Leipzig and they were really good.
“They play with the wings wide to let them play a v one, so I think it will be a good game, we need points, we have to win and we will do everything to earned the game. ”
