(Reuters) – A targeted Manchester City will channel the pain of their Champions League semi-final defeat by Real Madrid into Sunday’s house recreation towards Newcastle United, supervisor Pep Guardiola mentioned on Friday.
The Spaniard instructed reporters he had not spoken to his gamers since Real’s astonishing comeback in Wednesday’s second leg in Madrid and nothing he mentioned could be any comfort.
Premier League leaders City had been two objectives up on combination however Real scored in the ninetieth minute and equalised a minute later earlier than successful in further time by a Karim Benzema penalty to arrange a closing towards Liverpool in Paris.
Asked what he had mentioned to his gamers since the defeat, Guardiola replied: “Nothing. We did not communicate.
“No words may help (for) what all of us really feel,” he added. “It is only a query of time, strive to sleep as finest as doable and suppose of the new goal.”
Guardiola mentioned the league focus remained the similar and he would speak to the gamers on Saturday about who they had been as a staff, what that they had achieved and the way nicely that they had performed all season.
He mentioned, nonetheless, that he didn’t know whether or not the present group of gamers might win the Champions League or whether or not he was the supervisor to do it.
“Maybe I’m not adequate to assist the staff to do it. Nobody is aware of what would have occurred with different gamers or managers. For us, it’s an honour to be there as a lot as doable in all competitions,” he added.
City are a degree clear of Liverpool at the high of the desk however could possibly be behind by the time they kick off, with the Reds internet hosting Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
“They (the gamers) haven’t got to neglect it (the Real defeat). How are they going to neglect it?,” mentioned Guardiola.
“We are going to play towards Newcastle excited about that, for certain. I do know the gamers in the coaching classes, conferences, warm-ups how dedicated they’re going to be, I haven’t got any doubt on that.”
Guardiola denied Champions League success was the important focus of City’s house owners in Abu Dhabi.
“The membership by no means requested me (to win) something. They requested me to play nearly as good as doable, to compete with all the groups in England and all the groups in Europe,” he mentioned.
“It is totally reverse to what folks give it some thought.”
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, modifying by Toby Davis)
