Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is confident the Citizens will win the Champions League at some point and is hopeful it can be this season.
For all the investment that City have enjoyed over the past decade, they have dominated English football but have failed severally at continental level. The Champions League is one trophy that has eluded them ever since.
City face Real Madrid in the 2022/23 semi-final with the first leg taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday with the return leg set to hold in Manchester on Wednesday next week.
The two teams are familiar with each other and met at the same stage of the competition last season, with Real prevailing 6-5 on aggregate in an all-time Champions League classic as they went on to win the trophy for the 14th time in their history.
While that defeat is still fresh in the heads of City fans, Guardiola says it is all in the past and has backed his side to ‘win’ the Champions League at one point.
Guardiola recalls last season’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid
“We arrived here last season with encouragement to get to the final,” said Guardiola.
“We played really good in both games. But it was not enough.”
“But what happened in the past is the past. We are not here for revenge. It’s just another opportunity.
“As much as we are here, one day we will get it. One day we will reach the final and we will win it. We come here to do this this season.
“Last season we also came here to reach the final and win it. But it didn’t happen because we played against Real Madrid and in this competition they know exactly what they have to do.
“As much as we play against them or the other top teams in Europe, much closer we will be.”
Manchester City Rodri has also claimed the Citizens will put up a strong fight against familiar foes.
“But we are here again to fight – with motivation.
“We have been very, very good this year and we arrive here in the best moment.
“To be honest the whole year we have been very, very good. Maybe the results weren’t (earlier) but now we are in a moment where we identify exactly what we have to do.
“We are clever, score when we need to score, and we know big teams like us need to identify the moments we push a bit more.
“This is why we have won 10 games in a row in the Premier League. We have to step forward now – individually and collectively – and that is something we have understood since February, March until now.
