I feel Man City are ready to deliver, says Guardiola
2023-05-18 14:11Manchester City are well prepared for a mix of calm and nervousness against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, manager Pep Guardiola said on Wednesday.
The English champions beat the defending champions 4-0 in a ruthless performance to beat Inter Milan 5-1 on aggregate as they battled for European club football's most prestigious trophy for the first time .
It was sweet revenge for the crushing defeat to Real Madrid in the semi-finals 12 months ago.
Guardiola told reporters: " I have had the feeling in recent days that we play these kinds of games with a calmness and a nervousness. "
"After 10 or 15 minutes, I feel all the pain we've been through, everything that happened last season ... it was really hard, losing the way we lost and I think we had to swallow the poison in that moment. "
Real Madrid beat City 6-5 on aggregate 12 months ago.
Guardiola said: " In sport, obviously you have another chance and when the draw was Madrid, I said, ' Yes , I want it ' .
Bernardo Silva's first-half brace helped City take control, while Manuel Akanji and Julian Arleigh were on the mend after Erling Haaland failed to convert two gilt chances. Vares completed the rout.
Real Madrid came to them as champions and an all-time record 14 European titles.
But City are unbeaten in 23 games in all competitions and unbeaten in 26 Champions League games at the Etihad Stadium , a churning sea of azure for the Spanish giants' visit.
City played their 2021 semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain in Manchester without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, players stayed on the pitch long after the final whistle to celebrate, Haaland draped Norway national flag .
" (Tonight) was much better, much better, " Guardiola said. " I feel, I don't know why, you smell the team ready to play at the level they are today. "
City , who face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3 , are three wins away from the treble and could win the Premier League title as early as Saturday .
" We got closer, " Guardiola said. " This season has been really, really good and we've really delivered. Happy, joyful, we've had a lot of fun this season over and over again. We've made our fans happy and the world is watching us and they've seen a Great teamwork. That's the biggest compliment. "
Guardiola said players, staff and families would gather for breakfast before enjoying a day off on Thursday as they prepare for their eventual Premier League title.
Beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on June 10 will deliver a trophy that Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour has coveted since buying City in 2008 , when they made their only appearance in the final two years ago Lost to Chelsea.
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