Pep Guardiola expressed relief after Manchester City secured qualification for the Champions League play-offs, with a tough showdown against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich looming.
City staged a second-half fightback to beat Club Brugge 3-1 at the Etihad, progressing to the knockout stage.
Guardiola acknowledged that facing either of the European giants will be a major challenge but is optimistic about his side’s chances, thanks to the return of injured players and the addition of new signings.
He stated, “Going to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be really tough but it’s in two weeks and in two weeks we have a few players back, the new signings back, so hopefully we can do two good games.”
Guardiola emphasized the importance of squad depth, noting that the return of players like Jeremy Doku will provide more options for the team.
City had been trailing 1-0 at halftime due to a Raphael Onyedika goal but mounted a strong second-half comeback.
Mateo Kovacic’s individual brilliance sparked the turnaround, followed by a Joel Ordonez own goal and a strike from substitute Savinho.
Reflecting on the match, Guardiola said, “The first half was so academic, we didn’t have the spark to do it against a team that defends really well.”
“In the second half we lifted our souls and our hearts were free. We did it and now it is time to enjoy it because it has been a really, really tough season in the Champions League. We struggled a lot but finally we could qualify and the draw is the draw. We’ll see.”
This article was updated 1 month ago
