City march on in Champions League
PEP HAILS HIS BLUES AFTER BEATING ‘BEST TEAM HE HAS FACED’
PEP Guardiola declared victory over Napoli one of the proudest moments of his career as City fired a warning to the rest of Europe.
The Premier League leaders put themselves on the verge of qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win against the Italians.
And Guardiola believes a third straight victory in Group F - and a 10th in succession in all competitions - was a measure of City’s rise under him this season.
Serie A leaders Napoli were swept away in a devastating opening 25 minutes as Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus put the Blues in control.
And they could have added to their lead as Kevin de Bruyne hit the woodwork and David Silva and Jesus also came close again.
City had to hold off a secondhalf fightback from Napoli after Amadou Diawara struck from the spot - prompting Guardiola to hail his team’s resiliance.
“We faced one of the best sides I faced in my career probably the best,” said the Catalan. “It is one of the wins I am most proud in my career.
“Today we won against an incredible team.
“To do that you have to do an incredible performance.
“That team takes out energy because they have the quality to take the ball as much as possible. My team is a team with a lot of quality. That is why it is one of the days I am proud of the most.
“That is why they won eight games in a row in Italy. It is a team who bring you another step.”
City just need a draw in Naples next month to secure safe passage from the group stages with two games still remaining.
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri believes Guardiola’s team are a genuine threat to Europe’s giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“It’s a great team,” he said. “It has everything. “They are very quick and tactically very savvy. If they stay in good physical and mental shape as now I believe they could really go all the way.”
City have now equalled their best run under Guardiola matching the 10 straight wins they managed in his first season in charge. Back then he was asked if his side could go on to make a clean sweep - prompting a four-lettered response.
Asked if his reaction was the same 12 months on, he said: “Of course.”
Looking ahead to the return fixture in Italy, Sarri added: “We will see if we can play better for longer when we go to Naples in a fortnight.
“What I liked best is we managed to control the ball, keep possession, but sometimes if you get distracted, they are incredibly quick.”