Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City are not worried about drawing a Premier League side to the Champions League quarter-finals despite being knocked out of the competition by an English side in three of the last four campaigns.
City booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting Lisbon after a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Liverpool will also be in the hat for the draw in Nyon on March 18 and could be joined by Manchester United and Chelsea if they overtake Atletico Madrid and Lille, respectively.
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But when asked if he wanted to avoid other Premier League sides after losing in the quarter-finals to Liverpool in 2018, Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 and last season’s final against Chelsea, Guardiola replied: “I would say no.
“It’s difficult for us and for them too and for opponents from other countries.
“We are in the last eight and we will prepare well and next Friday we will see the draw. It is an honor because important teams are eliminated.”
Like City and Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are already assured of their place in the quarter-finals. They will be joined by four United teams, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Lille, Juventus, Villarreal, Benfica and Ajax when the knockout stages come to an end next week.
“The four teams in the last eight are already not bad at all,” Guardiola said.
“Now we are in the quarter-finals again as the top eight teams in Europe. I am learning to enjoy the moments.
“I celebrate it because I know how difficult it is. When you go through every opponent, it’s difficult.
“Now it’s time to congratulate everyone, focus on the Premier League and then next week we will see the draw.”
Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City are not worried about drawing a Premier League side to the Champions League quarter-finals despite being knocked out of the competition by an English side in three of the last four campaigns.
City booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting Lisbon after a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Liverpool will also be in the hat for the draw in Nyon on March 18 and could be joined by Manchester United and Chelsea if they overtake Atletico Madrid and Lille, respectively.
– ESPN+: UCL chat and more on ESPN FC Daily (US only)
But when asked if he wanted to avoid other Premier League sides after losing in the quarter-finals to Liverpool in 2018, Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 and last season’s final against Chelsea, Guardiola replied: “I would say no.
“It’s difficult for us and for them too and for opponents from other countries.
“We are in the last eight and we will prepare well and next Friday we will see the draw. It is an honor because important teams are eliminated.”
Like City and Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are already assured of their place in the quarter-finals. They will be joined by four United teams, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Lille, Juventus, Villarreal, Benfica and Ajax when the knockout stages come to an end next week.
“The four teams in the last eight are already not bad at all,” Guardiola said.
“Now we are in the quarter-finals again as the top eight teams in Europe. I am learning to enjoy the moments.
“I celebrate it because I know how difficult it is. When you go through every opponent, it’s difficult.
“Now it’s time to congratulate everyone, focus on the Premier League and then next week we will see the draw.”