{"id":289128,"date":"2023-09-18T15:34:53","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T15:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=289128"},"modified":"2023-09-18T15:34:53","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T15:34:53","slug":"pep-guardiola-challenges-man-city-to-win-back-to-back-champions-league-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/soccer\/pep-guardiola-challenges-man-city-to-win-back-to-back-champions-league-titles\/","title":{"rendered":"Pep Guardiola challenges Man City to win back-to-back Champions League titles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pep Guardiola has challenged his Manchester City side to achieve something special and win back-to-back Champions League titles.<\/p>\n
The treble winners begin the defence of their European crown as they host Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
City finally put years of near-misses behind them to win the competition for the first time last season but, while Guardiola is proud of their achievements, he feels their mission is not yet over.<\/p>\n
The City manager said at a press conference: \u201cI\u2019d like to say that for our club to win the Champions League is incredible \u2013 the first time in our history \u2013 but, in perspective, how many teams have won the Champions League once?<\/p>\n
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\u201cA lot have won two, three, four, five. In perspective, we did nothing special. It\u2019s just one.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go. Let\u2019s try to win tomorrow against a team so aggressive, so fast up front.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola is viewing the challenge as nothing different to past seasons, although he accepts the pressure of trying to defend the trophy will be easier than when trying to win it for the first time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s most difficult to win the first one,\u201d he said. \u201cBut every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League. Nothing changes from before.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe same for Red Star tomorrow. It depends on our performance and our level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn\u2019t allow you mistakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step.\u201d<\/p>\n
City reached the European summit, and capped a glorious treble, when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the final in Istanbul in June.<\/p>\n
Yet the club have not sat back and dwelt on their success, adding the UEFA Super Cup and starting the new Premier League campaign with five successive wins.<\/p>\n
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Guardiola admits he has not even watched back the final, which was won with a single goal from Rodri.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cPeople say we won it and it\u2019s done. It\u2019s not done. They\u2019re happy, we\u2019re happy. Every time we come here, people take pictures with the four trophies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes us so happy, you cannot deny, but if I wanted to live for the memories I wouldn\u2019t be here. I\u2019d be at home or on a beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t watch the game, no. Not at all. The competition gives us a new challenge so let\u2019s at least try \u2013 and I don\u2019t have any doubt we will try.\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sign up to Miguel Delaney\u2019s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel\u2019s Delaney\u2019s free weekly newsletter Thanks […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n