Pep in it for the long haul

PEP GUARDIOLA admits Manchester City are miles away from being good enough to challenge for the Champions League.

The City boss had never failed to reach the semi-finals at Barcelona and Bayern Munich but that run ended this season when his side were knocked out in the last 16 by Monaco.

Guardiola (right) has confessed he has a big job on his hands and said: “We are far away. Not in terms of the quality, in terms of how they play situations.

“We had that in the Monaco game. We were able to score six goals in two games and we are out. It’s about how you live and handle the situation.

“For that you need experience. Hopefully we got that experience and it’ll help us next season.”

Guardiola seemed to disregard the fact that his predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, led City to the semis, and a narrow loss to Real Madrid, less than 12 months ago.

Guardiola has won the Champions League twice and said: “We need to qualify for next season.

“Not all the magnificent teams are in the quarter-finals. A lot of them are not there.

“A lot of huge, amazing teams will be out in the quarter-finals.

“For example, two years ago Juventus went to the final in Berlin. This season, they’re amazing. Last season, they went out in the quarter-finals in the last minute against Bayern Munich.

“The Champions League is so demanding.

“The exception is to be there seven years in a row. The exception is not to be out once with City in the last-16, quarterfinals or semi-finals.”

Fourthplaced City can move a step closer to booking a place in next season’s competition if they win at Southampton today.

Striker Sergio Aguero is looking to add to his run of 10 goals in 10 games.

Guardiola has been impressed with Aguero’s response after criticising his all-round game.

He said: “My feeling before that, he was just waiting to score a goal. Now he is involved in the game.”