Pep Guardiola reveals why Man City will NOT win the Champions League
PEP GUARDIOLA insists Manchester City are not 'special' enough to win the Champions League.
Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk
Pep Guardiola insists City are not 'special' enough to win the Champions League
Guardiola has also urged fans to show more support and get behind his team if the ultimate goal is to be achieved.
Guardiola remains on a mission to land the biggest prize in club football - but reckons he is not feeling the backing needed to become a king of Europe again.
The Spaniard has not won the Champions League since 2011 when he was Barcelona boss.
He knows the pressure on him to lead City to their 'Holy Grail' is building after spending more than £500m on superstar signings since taking charge in 2016.
But Guardiola has taken a veiled swipe at fans and is convinced he is not feeling the desire required from supporters who continue to boo the Champions League anthem and fail to fill the Etihad for European games.
Guardiola, whose side face Shakhtar Donetsk in Khakiv on Tuesday night needing a win to boost their chances of reaching the knockout stages, said:
"To win this competition, it's not enough just to have desire, or wanting to win. You have to have many circumstances.
"You have to have experience and still we don't have enough in some moments. But every game is a new experience.
Pep Guardiola has urged fans to show more support and get behind the team
Pep Guardiola face Shakhtar Donetsk in Khakiv on Tuesday night
"That's not enough that the manager wants to win it. It's not just the players. You have to have the desire, the club, chairman, owner, the fans, everyone has to push to be closer, to achieve the next stage.
"When it happens, everyone will feel it. It's one important thing to win this kind of title, but you have to be pushed, not just by the manager, by everyone surrounding Manchester City that we have to win it - and still we don't have that feeling.
"The feeling that the fans are pushing, that we have to win the Champions League.
"Normally what happens is you get closer, that's why I feel we are a really good team, it's a pleasure to work with them. But in this competition you need something special - and still I don't feel it."
Guardiola insists winning the Champions League is in his blood having been born in Barcelona - and will never give up trying to be the best in Europe no matter where he works.
Pep Guardiola has not won the Champions League since 2011
Pep Guardiola feels his side don't have enough experience of playing in the competition
He added: "I was born in Barcelona and grew up there. I started to play there. Then when you start to play they inoculate it into your blood and body that the only way to survive is to win.
"But also i learned that when you don't, life goes on and you have another chance the next season.
"So we'll put more efforts into winning this competition. I saw last season and this that in many ways the club, we are still not ready to win it. That doesn't mean we are not going to try.
"Every year we'll be closer and sooner or later it's going to happen. Hopefully as soon as possible."
SHAKHTAR DONETSK (4-5-1): Pyatov; Butko, Rakitskky, Kryvtsov, Matviienko; Stepanenko, Patrick, Marlos, Maycon, Ismailly; Moraes.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, D Silva, De Bruyne; Sterling, Aguero, Sane.
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro (Spain).
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