We’re not in the elite league…yet
semi-finals of the Champions League a year ago before they exited narrowly against Real Madrid.
But he says modestly that his own peerless record in Europe is the exception rather than the rule.
“Not all the magnificent teams are in the quarter-finals, a lot are not,” he said. “They even went out in the first stage. The Champions League is so demanding.
“Believe me, the exception is to be seven years in a row there. The exception is not to be out once with City in the last 16, quarter-finals or semifinals. That can happen.
“The exception is seven times in a row at the semi-final or final.”
Victory at Southampton would go a long way towards clinching City a top-four place and Guardiola’s in-form striker Sergio Aguero looks certain to play a key role.
He has scored 10 goals in as many games since reclaiming his starting position from injured newcomer Gabriel Jesus.
That is a vast improvement on his form earlier this season when he was dropped for the first time in his City career.
Yet with 28 goals, Aguero is still just four short of his best-ever season with a potential nine league and cup games to go.
“I said many times that he’s involved in the game,” said Guardiola. “My feeling before was that he was just waiting to score a goal. Now he’s involved in the game. Not just the defensive part – he’s helped us a lot – but he is doing all he can do in our process to create chances. There are no complaints about what he has done after the injury to Gabriel Jesus. “Sergio’s attitude was always good from the beginning. Maybe now he understands better what we’re looking for. He’s trying and that is what I want. When he misses chances, always you can improve, but we’ve no complaints.” Southampton’s Dusan Tadic wants to prove he has made peace with his manager Claude Puel by helping beat City. Tadic earned a telling off from Puel after blasting the Frenchman for substituting him in games last month. The Serbian claims all is well now that he has been moved off the wing and given his favoured No10 role by Puel.
Tadic said: “It has helped me a lot because this is my best position in this system and I can show my qualities best and be important for the team.
“You can see that in the last couple of games and I am happy because of that and happy we take points and play well.
“It is important to finish the season strongly. We need to keep doing the same things and then it will not be a problem.”