Guardiola rallies fans in bid to defy Spurs
● ‘We cannot go through without supporters’ says City manager
0 Captain Vincent Kompany leads the Manchester City players in training ahead of tonight’s clash with Spurs.
JOHN STONES
He said: “Sorry guys, I’m a failure in this competition but many times I played in the semi-final and quarter-finals, and every time I played away the atmosphere was really incredible. They support their local teams.
“We need it. Really, we need it. I want to see that they want
to get to the semi-finals. I want to see my fans, our fans, that they really want the semifinals.”
City face Spurs again in the Premier League on Saturday and, with a derby at Manchester United coming next week, the coming days are vital to their season.
With Champions League progress on a knife edge and Liverpool pushing them all the way in the Premier League, Guardiola added: “If we don’t win these games we’ll be out of two competitions. They are absolute finals for us, I’ve had that feeling from weeks ago.
“This season we have an incredible opponent like Liverpool in the Premier League. What they have done so far they deserve. Normally with
“If you don’t dream big then you are not going to get anywhere near it. It comes from within everyone”
84 or 86 points you are champion – they have 85.
“Both teams deserve to be champions but just one team is going to get it.”
City have already won the Carabao Cup are they are also through to the FA Cup final. Defender John Stones is relishing the challenge of chasing four trophies.
The England international said: “I don’t think a lot of things are impossible, that is the mindset of different people. If you don’t dream big then you are not going to get anywhere near it.
“It comes from within everyone. We have this belief and ambition to do it.”
Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris, pictured, says his side are “ready to suffer” in order to see off City tonight. Spurs will undoubtedly come under huge pressure against Guardiola’s men, but the France goalkeeper is prepared for it.
“It is all about the mentality, the spirit, to have the same idea of football together,” Lloris said.
“Then of course we are ready to suffer because tomorrow we are going to suffer, but we know we can make the game difficult for them too.
“It is just about enjoying being at this stage of the competition, being ready to compete. Momentum is very important.”
Boss Mauricio Pochettino says City are still favourites to win the Champions League, despite his side’s first-leg advantage.
“Manchester City for me is one of the best teams in the world and a clear favourite to win the Premier League and the Champions League,” he said. “For us to beat them in the first leg was an amazing result but we know very well the tie is still open and tomorrow is going to be very, very tough.
“But we have the belief that we are going to fight. Tomorrow is going to be an amazing challenge and fight. I am so motivated and excited.” In addition to Harry Kane’s absence with an ankle injury, Harry Winks is also out with a groin injury while Dele Alli, who suffered a broken hand in last week’s first leg, has travelled with the squad and will train with a cast on. Pochettino added: “We need to assess him. We are going to have the last training session and then decide if it is possible to start from the beginning or on the bench..”
Eric Dier (hip) and Serge Aurier (hamstring) miss out.