Walker: This may be our best chance
KYLE Walker says City have one of the best chances they will ever get to win the Champions League.
The Blues are just two games from the final, with the knockout stages now reduced to single matches, played over an 11-day period in Lisbon.
After knocking out Real Madrid, they start the final eight tournament on Saturday night with the quarter-final against Lyon - and while the fact it is no longer over two legs makes it more of a lottery, England defender Walker thinks it could work in City’s favour.
“It’s probably one of the best chances we are going to get,” he said. “We have been in the quarter-finals before, but now with just one game, it’s going to be a very different approach.
“It’s both boxes in the Champions League, defend well and be efficient in the opponents’ area. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but we are fully up to the task. We’ll go there with a good game plan and, hopefully, win the games.”
Lyon shocked everyone by pulling off an away goals rule triumph over Juventus, beating the Italian champions 1-0 at home and then losing 2-1 in Turin.
But the French side - who finished seventh in their league have a reputation for punching above their weight in the Champions League, including a win in Manchester in a group game last season followed by a tight 2-2 draw on their own patch.
“It’s going to be very tough,” said Walker. “Last year in this competition, they beat us here at the Etihad Stadium. It’s going to be special at just one game. Anything can happen.
“You have to be assured at the back and be determined in front of goal. It’s the fine details when it’s knock-out games and small tournaments like this one.
“They were a tough opponent, they were very energetic. They have good players in all the areas of the field.
“They beat us last season here, but as a team we have improved and matured a lot since then. We just need to take that into this game, put our stamp on it, make sure it is played at our tempo.
“We have to make sure we are fully concentrated, follow the tactics, listen to the manager.
“Also, show the willingness we showed against Madrid to put in the extra miles and do more than we can do.”
Walker also feels that beating Real Madrid in both legs is a huge psychological boost for the Blues, who have not always shown great self-belief in the latter stages of this tournament.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
“Beating Real Madrid is a massive step - one of the best, if not the best, club in the world, Champions League winners a number of times.
“We have shown the desire and the work ethic to go there and press from the front, and win the ball back near the area. We showed character, we showed desire, we showed a willingness to win the game and go through.
“We have gone to the Santiago Bernabeu and won there. They have come here and we beat them too. We beat them twice, I think we are the deserved winners. Now we can go to Portugal and hopefully we can do the same against Lyon.”