PEP EYES VINTAGE SHOWING
Squad look up for final push and have even had odd glass of wine
MAN CITY V LYON 8PM, BT SPORT
PEP GUARDIOLA made it sound like his Manchester City players have been doing nothing more strenuous than eat, drink and be merry.
But when the Blues bunkered down in their Cascais bolthole 20 miles outside Lisbon on Monday, he was encouraged to see his squad were ready to get straight down to the business of winning the Champions League.
Training sessions, always highly competitive, have been cranked up a notch. Drills have been performed to perfection – and then repeated some more.
At night, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Co have tucked into the local seafood.
They have even been allowed the odd glass of Vinho Verde with dinner.
But the belief inside the camp is that the only way City could be better prepared for their bid to become European champions for the first time is if Sergio Aguero had won his battle for fitness after a knee injury.
The club’s record goalscorer will watch his team-mates take on Lyon in tonight’s quarterfinal from a hotel room in Barcelona.
But after 10 years of failing to make any real mark on the biggest club competition, it feels like City are finally ready. The spark in Guardiola’s eyes was unmistakable as he said: “I want to see my team show who they are. I want them to do everything they always try to do from in their soul and in their minds. “After that, the football will dictate whether we deserve it. It’s as simple as that. “I am so proud of the team and I can say that the way they have behaved, especially in this past two or three weeks, has been incredibly focused.We have eaten well, we have drunk good wine at night – and we have worked a lot.
“We have looked at Lyon and tried to discover their secrets – but now is the time to be ourselves.”
City have only reached the last four once – when Manuel Pellegrini’s side lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in 2016.
Under Guardiola, they have never gone past quarter-finals – and he is aware his own reputation has come under growing scrutiny in the nine years since he led Barcelona to their second European title in three seasons.
Guardiola cast a knowing smile as he said: “Every year we have the same question about pressure. The pressure is always there – and we will try to do our best like all the other teams.
“I think every year this club is growing – and I’m not just talking about the results.
“The organisation is growing to be solid and sustainable for the future. I think this is an important moment for our careers and for our lives as professionals.
This is once-in-a-lifetime.”