PAIN KILLERS

Gundogan says City are haunted by their Champions League failure... but it drives them on to win trophy they crave most

ILKAY GUNDOGAN believes the pain of Manchester City’s Champions League history is driving them towards success in this season’s competition.

And the Germany midfielder has his own personal motivation, having scored in the 2013 Champions League final, only to see his Borussia Dortmund team eventually beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich.

Gundogan and his City team-mates face Bayern in the quarter-final second leg at the Allianz Arena after thumping the Bundesliga champions 3-0 at the Etihad a week ago.

But the 32-year-old says there is no chance of complacency as Pep Guardiola’s side – beaten by Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea in the 2021 final (right) – look to fill the obvious gap on their lengthy roll of honour.

He explained: “Memories inspire you to push further. The further you get in the competition, the bigger the hunger you have to win it.

“I don’t know who’s won the competition in our team, apart from the manager – nobody I think.

“I was close in 2013 with Dortmund and most of this squad was close two years ago.

“But that wasn’t meant to be and that increases the desire to get back into the final and lift the trophy as that’s what the club and this group of players deserve.”

Whether or not they “deserve” Champions League success is a moot point, but they should certainly progress to the final four of this season’s competition, taking a three-goal lead to the Allianz Arena.

And Gundogan insists there is no chance of City taking a defensive approach to the return game against Tuchel’s Bayern in Munich tonight.

He went on: “It’s not done. We are playing away now – playing away, you always try to play with a big personality.

“We want the ball and to keep it you need personality.

“Their fans will be behind them more than ever and it’s about us not allowing them to get momentum and not allowing them to get the first goal. We need to play our style of football and get our momentum.”

Gundogan was Guardiola’s first City signing almost seven years ago, but his contract expires at the end of this season and there have been reports of Barcelona lining up a deal to take him on a lucrative free transfer to the Nou Camp.

And ahead of the clash in Munich, Gundogan was coy about his future. “There are talks, there are talks in the background – that’s normal with a couple of months left,” he said.

“There’s nothing decided yet, not from my side and not from the club’s side. The talks continue. If there’s a decision at one point then you guys will be the first ones to know.”

Recently, City boss Guardiola said that he wanted to keep Gundogan forever and it seems the love is mutual.

“I appreciate it a lot,” smiled Gundogan. “I think he knows what he has and I also know we have been together for seven years.

“It has been amazing. We have won a lot together and to hear things like that of course brings me joy and brings me a smile. And I appreciate what I have done in these last seven years.”

Now, all that Gundogan (left) needs is to cap those seven great years with the triumph in the Champions League that has so far proved

elusive.

■ MANCHESTER City boss Pep Guardiola has won 99 Champions League matches, one win away from becoming the third manager to reach 100 wins, along with Carlo Ancelotti (105) and Alex Ferguson (102.

■ AMONG sides who have faced them five or more times in the competition, City are one of only three teams to have won at least half of their Champions League meetings with Bayern Munich (57% – 4/7), along with Milan (67%) and Real Madrid (50%).

■ CITY have only lost one of their last 20 matches against German teams in the Champions League (W16 D3), and are unbeaten in their nine games against German sides in the knockout stages.

■ SINCE losing three consecutive games against Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea in 2020-21 – the last of which was the Champions League final – Guardiola has won each of his last three games against Tuchel.