Pep lauds the Lyon-hearted
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the Champions League poses a tougher challenge than any other competition after his side salvaged a 2-2 draw at Lyon on Tuesday to qualify for the knockout phase.
The Premier League leaders clinched a place in the last 16 for the sixth season in a row as headers from Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Aguero helped City twice recover after falling behind to goals from Maxwel Cornet.
City need a point from their final game at home to eliminated Hoffenheim to secure top spot in Group F, although they were fortunate to avoid a second defeat by Lyon – the only team to score more than once against them this season.
“Today the Champions League showed me again that it’s another different competition and especially for one reason. The players are better,” said Guardiola.
“That’s why every time we think about the Champions League and people say it’s easy for Manchester City, they are really confused about this.
“Words are words. The people who say this never saw a game of Lyon, a game of Hoffenheim, or a game of Shakhtar.”
“You have time in the Premier League, you have 38 games. Here you have 90 minutes, 180 minutes – you make mistakes and they punish you,” added Guardiola.
Lyon already trail Paris Saint Germain by 15 points in Ligue 1 after just 14 matches, but Bruno Genesio’s side once again pushed City all the way having beaten them 2-1 in the reverse fixture in September.
Lyon will conclude their group stage against Shakhtar on December 12 in Kharkiv.