Guardiola strives to instil a winning mentality

MIDDLES BROUGH 0 MANCHES TER CITY 2

Silva (3), Aguero (67)

PEP GUARDIOLA has ordered his Manchester City players to have “no regrets” as they attempt to bring silverware to the Etihad Stadium.

City eased into the FA Cup semi- finals with a quarter- final victory at Middlesbrough to hand Gu a rd io l a a trip to Wembley, where he has won the Champions League as both a player and a coach.

But as they continue their bid for glory on three fronts – they are in Champions League action in Monaco on Wednesday evening – their manager has insisted they cannot consider themselves a top club until they realise defeat is simply not an option.

Guardiola said: “To become a winning club when a club has not been in the past, just a generation – Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, helped the club to step forward and that’s why I just can say thank you to them that I am part of that club now.

“That is not a club with a long history of winning things. I learned at the academy in Barcelona when I was 12 that it’s not acceptable to lose.

“To understand that, you don’t distinguish between friendly and competitive games. Every game you play, you have to play well, try to win and show the opponent you are there to win.

“It’s the only way you can improve as a club, and that is what I am going to try in my period here to give the club. It doesn’t matter the competition, no regrets. Go and try to win the game.”

Silva fired City into a third- minute l ead at Middlesbrough, but victory was not secure until Sergio Aguero made it 2-0 on 67 minutes.

Guardiola said: “I have good memories of being at Wembley, at the old and the new one. Yes, of course, and to live that experience...

“Normally that just happens in the final, but