Champions, City-Real, Guardiola: “Why do Madrid always win? I don’t know… We have to be ourselves”

“Why do Real win so much in the Champions League? I have no idea. And if I did, I’d try to copy it.” Pep Guardiola does not give up his joke, not even on the eve of a fundamental match such as the return semifinal. It starts again from the 1-1 draw in the first leg, from De Bruyne’s goal which equalized that of Vinicius, from the atmosphere of the Etihad where this year the English champions have never failed. But also from Pep’s awareness that City need to do “something different” to beat Ancelotti’s team and earn the final in Istanbul on 10 June.

“OURSELVES”

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Guardiola promises something different (“nothing extravagant, this time I won’t go overboard with the distortions” he assures), but repeats several times that City will beat Real only by being themselves. “It depends on us, we have to be ourselves and win a game – he said -. We don’t need to remember how important this game is, but I told the players to see it as a great chance and to enjoy it. We know we have to be better than the first leg , of having to create more chances, of being more fluid in attack. We play against Real Madrid, a team that has enormous qualities: it is a challenge and we have to face it. But I know that whatever happens, I will thank my players for bringing me back up to this point in the competition”.

CHAMPIONS OBSESSION

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The big-eared cup for City is the missing piece, the trophy that is still missing in more than five decades of success. What Guardiola knows he has to win because it will define what he did in Manchester and what Kyle Walker, who spoke earlier about his coach, says all players want to win because they owe it to Pep and the owners who have invested so much to transform City into a European powerhouse. “It’s obvious that we want to win – says Pep -. I’ve often said that when they took me they immediately told me I had to win the Champions League. We want it, but wanting it is not enough to win it. What you do in the match counts, what we will do in pitch in those 90′. It doesn’t count how we went in the league or that we’re in the FA Cup final, it matters how we will be in that moment, on that pitch. For me it’s a dream to be at this level again and nobody assures us that we will we’ll be back: that’s why we have to enjoy it, we have to try, we have to go off the pitch knowing we’ve given everything. I hope the best team wins, and I obviously hope it’s mine. The players have to try and win for themselves, for the occasion that they have. Not for me or the owners.”

LEGACY

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Guardiola knows what is at stake. City are chasing the treble this year, and if the Premier League is two points away and the FA Cup is the final against United on 3 June, the Champions League for all it represents remains the most difficult goal. “My legacy has already been written and it’s exceptional – Pep jokes -. Certainly, when I started with City, I didn’t expect us to reach this level, to fight continuously for the highest goals. And I didn’t even expect to stay here for 7 years: I’m confident in my abilities, but I didn’t think so much”. Real remains between City and the chance of the treble, to play on June 10 to win the trophy that is still missing. “Ancelotti’s team is of the highest level, but we have to try to beat them. Being ourselves, imposing our game” repeats Pep. This time he is convinced that it is the right time.