IMMORTAL COMBAT
Pep stars thrive on dead-or-alive fight for incredible Treble double
PEP GUARDIOLA says his Manchester City players are relishing the “dead or alive” stage of the season.
Treble winners City remain on course for a repeat of last season’s heroics, with Real Madrid up next in Wednesday’s decisive Champions League quarter-final return leg.
Guardiola believes the jeopardy and pressure of not being able to lose a game brings out the best in his players, which is why he is backing them to push all the way for glory on three fronts again.
“They like to play under pressure,” said the City boss. “They like it when you are dead or alive.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to do it but I’m pretty sure we will be there until the end because I know them.
“I see their faces before, in the meetings before games, and how they prepare. Does that mean we’ll be Premier League champions?
“No, no. I’m not saying that. But we will compete, that’s for sure.
“What we’ve done this season, we live for that. Playing for something, the big trophies, and still we’re there, again. It’s so good.”
Guardiola and his players have been here before, knowing they cannot afford a single slip-up if they want to successfully defend last season’s trophies and underline their peerless status.
With Arsenal and Liverpool in the title race, 14-times Champions League winners Real up next at the Etihad and Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, there is no margin for error.
“The problem is that we have to travel in October and November,” said Guardiola.
“You think ‘this is a long, long season’ and that’s the moment when you try to do it, but you’re not completely focused.
“We spoke about that. With the contenders we have in Arsenal and Liverpool, we cannot draw many games. That’s why we are still there.
“The only biggest difference between Arsenal, Liverpool and us is that they won a lot of points in stoppage time. A lot. That helped them be in the position they are.
“Of course, all three teams have had incredible seasons. But they won a lot of points for the talent they have because of this [late goals].
“It happened for Liverpool many times in the last eight years and for Arsenal many times, because of their talent.
“It’s a credit to them, not the opposite. In that department
they are much better than us, but still we’re there.
“What a privilege. I would not change our position for any other team.”
Guardiola said he had not reviewed City’s thrilling 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu last week, because his only focus after that encounter was preparing for Luton.
But the City boss and his staff will now begin devising a plan to overcome Real, just as they did last season, with a thumping 4-0 win at the Etihad en route to being crowned European champions.
“The night after Luton or the following morning I will start to review the game and see whether there were surprises for the positions of the players, to take a look at whether Carlo [Ancelotti] will use his experience to do something differently,” said Guardiola.
“We have to be prepared but, at the same time, try to impose our game and put pressure on our game to our opponent.”
MAN CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 7; Akanji
7, Dias 7, Gvardiol 8, Lewis 7; Kovacic 7, Nunes 6, Alvarez 6; De Bruyne 7
(Gomes, 81), Doku 8; Haaland 7 (Bobb,
81).
LUTON (4-3-3): Kaminski 6;
Onyedinma 5 (Nelson, 88),
Hashioka 5, Burke 5, Doughty
5; Clark 6 (Johnson, 88),
Barkley 6, Berry 6
(Mpanzu, 77); Chong 6,
Morris 6, Townsend 6
(Woodrow 59, 6)