‘We’ll need some luck in bid for Euro glory’

City boss believes club need a stroke of overdue luck to progress in Champions League as Real second leg looms

PEP GUARDIOLA insists that City still need a stroke of luck if they are to win the Champions League this season.

But the Blues boss believes that the thumping 4-0 win over Liverpool has given his team a major boost ahead of the resumption of the elite European competition next month.

City are waiting to hear whether the second leg of their last 16 tie with Real Madrid, due to be played on August 7 or 8, will be switched to Portugal.

The decision has been delayed until the Covid-19 situation in the UK becomes clearer.

Until Friday, the rule that any travellers to the UK would have to self-isolate for 14 days made it impractical for the game to be at the Etihad Stadium. Spain is one of 50 countries given the green light to travel to the UK without a period of self-isolation – removing one of the obstacles.

But UEFA are leaning towards a single-venue tournament because having clubs flying all around Europe defeats the idea of limiting travel as much as possible.

Guardiola has repeatedly said that City will accept UEFA’s decision, whatever it is, but hinted that if they do have to travel to Portugal, it is another example of City not getting the roll of the dice.

They lead 2-1 from the second leg, but losing home advantage for the return game gives Real added hope of turning the tie around. City have suffered from some poor refereeing decisions at critical moments in their last three Champions League campaigns and it sometimes feels like the fates are stacked against them.

When that was put to Guardiola, he said: “Don’t let me talk, please! This club is fantastic.

“We learn to accept our defeats, it is part of life and football. Sometimes it is what it is. Maybe one day we will be lucky. “I know exactly what has happened all the time in the last years in the Champions League. “It is a competition where the details make the difference. I know what happened, it will always be in memories but we are incredibly excited to play against Madrid, the kings of this competition.

“We would love to have the second leg here with our fans and feel close to our people, but we will go where UEFA decide.”

By the time that second leg gets played, City will know the outcome of their appeal to the Court of Arbritration for Sport, as they seek to overturn a two-year ban from European competition.

The club has been told that the decision of the arbitrators will be revealed in the week commencing July 13.

“We are waiting,” Guardiola said. “I have a lot of confidence and trust in people that we will be allowed to play in the Champions League, but on July 13 we will know the resolution.”

We learn to accept our defeats, maybe one day we will be lucky Pep Guardiola on City’s Champions League results