SEVEN-UP CITY
Pep hails his ‘fearless’ stars after thrashing sorry Germans
MANCHESTER CITY roared into the Champions League quarter-finals last night after smashing Schalke for seven.
And Pep Guardiola warned City’s rivals that there is more to come from his side, suggesting the likes of Leroy Sane still have an extra gear to find.
It should act as a frightening prospect across Europe, with City having scored 61 goals since the New Year.
Juventus joined them in the last eight after Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick saw off Atletico Madrid.
Proud City boss Pep Guardiola said: ‘When I said we are a teenage team in this competition, I didn’t say we are not going to fight. Teenagers have patience, desire, they are not scared. We’re trying
to achieve for the second time in our history a semi-final of the Champions League. ‘It is why when people say you have to win, you have to win; when you’re out in the quarterfinals it is a disaster, it is not fair. ‘Today, Real Madrid is out, Atletico Madrid is out, PSG is out and it is unfair — this competition — because it is incredibly tough. So when we are through the group stages, I am happy. It is so nice to be in the quarters for the third time in our history.’ Guardiola, who revealed he wants former club Bayern Munich to dump Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool out tonight, wants more from his young attackers. He also suggested City will face elimination in the next round if the Premier League champions struggle again in the first leg, as they did at Schalke last month. ‘Leroy was not aggressive enough in the first 20 minutes,’ added Guardiola. ‘I like when he runs and goes — if he loses the ball, doesn’t matter. It is the same with Raheem Sterling. But they are young. We cannot forget these games (the first leg). We played 2-1 down with one man down. In normal circumstances you’re out, you come here losing 3-1 and 4-1. We survived this time. ‘Juventus, this guy Cristiano Ronaldo, goes there to win the Champions League. He has all the pressure on his shoulders, he scores three against Atletico and goes through. That’s the type of guy you face to achieve the next stages.’ And Liverpool? ‘I want Bayern, sorry for the English people I am big fan of this club, I love Munich and all the people, but it will not be easy — it is so demanding a game for both,’ he added.