Pep calls for tough-mindedness

PEP Guardiola has called on his Manchester City players to show they have the mentality to win the Champions League.

The City boss said after the Premier League winners’ victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday his side were not yet ready to win Europe’s elite competition.

City are again rated among the favourites but in the past three years they have stumbled i n the knockout stages and Guardiola feels there are mental hurdles that must be overcome.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s Group C clash with Atalanta, Guardiola said: “I think the way we are really strong as a team has been built up from four seasons ago.

“But it’s more for the fact that two times in the Champions League we went out on away goals and in both games we conceded a lot of goals.

“In this competition you play against incredible players and, if you give some teams one moment, a metre, they will score.

“These little margins are sometimes the difference and we’re working on that. I believe that kind of situation mentality.

“We’re good enough and we’re strong enough. When you play good, you defend less.

“When you don’t play good, you concede a lot.”

City beat Palace 2-0, bouncing back from their loss to Wolves prior to the international break, but Guardiola felt they should have won more convincingly.

The City boss does not believe his team are clinical enough, even though they are the top scorers i n the Premier League by some distance.

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