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Despite or because of the 2-1 first leg win for Manchester City, Pep Guardiola warned his professionals about the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday evening (9 p.m., Sky / DAZN).
"You have to understand that this will be a big battle and we will suffer," said the star coach, who wants to reach a Champions League final with the Citizens for the first time in club history, before the duel at the Etihad Stadium.
"You have to imagine that we can do it."
Last Wednesday, Man City got off to a bad start in Paris.
In the first half, the PSG team, peppered with stars like Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, dominated the game in Prinzenpark and deservedly took the lead.
City turned up after the break and scored an important away win thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez.
"You can't play 90 minutes like we did in the second half," said Guardiola now.
"I would like to do that, but it won't happen."
"Get the momentum back"
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The decisive factor is “how we play in the bad moments,” warned the coach, who as coach of FC Barcelona has twice won the pot.
He said he didn't ask anything else of his players against Paris. "We play tough games in the Premier League, as tough as PSG," said Guardiola.
“Just go in and do what we did for the season.
Take the ball, get your momentum back and try to win the game. "
pep Guardiola
Source: AP
With the exception of the FA Cup, where the semi-final against Thomas Tuchel's FC Chelsea ended, it worked out well this season. Man City celebrated the fourth League Cup triumph in a row. The championship in the Premier League is only a matter of form and could have been determined if Manchester United had lost to Liverpool on Sunday. But the game was postponed after protests against the United owners. On Saturday, City have it in their own hands against Chelsea.
Guardiola regularly emphasizes that the third league title in four years is above all for him.
But you don't have to believe him.
As is well known, winning the Champions League has long been the declared goal of the city bosses and would be the culmination of an outstanding season for the team around the German national soccer player Ilkay Gündogan, who is in the shape of his life.
Neymar as a warrior?
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Until then, Paris still has a say.
At least superstar Neymar, who only attracted attention in the second half of the first leg for unsporting behavior, has not yet given up hope of being in the final again.
Last year PSG lost the final 0-1 against FC Bayern.
On Paris club TV, Neymar said martially: "I will be the first warrior who will go into battle for the team."
Neymar (l.) During the first leg in a duel with Ilkay Gündogan
Source: AP
An English final would be possible.
In the other semi-final second leg, Chelsea and Real Madrid face each other on Wednesday evening, the Tuchel team have a good starting position after the 1-1 draw in Madrid.