‘Man City Will Be Judged Failures Without Champions League’- Pep Guardiola

Manchester City will be judged “failures” if they do not win the Champions League, according to Pep Guardiola.

A point away at Lyon on Tuesday night will guarantee qualification for the knockout stages while victory will ensure they progress as Group F winners.

Guardiola’s side have won both their away fixtures in the competition so far, but he believes it is not enough to satisfy their critics.

City lost to eventual finalists Liverpool in the quarter-finals last season.

“For the people who don’t love us too much, who use money as an argument, then we have failed if we don’t win the Champions League,” he said.

“For the other people, especially our fans, the people who say, ‘OK, we enjoy watching our games, we are happy with what the guys are doing’, I am pretty sure they don’t have regrets about what these guys are doing for the last 12, 14, 15 months every three days.

“That is the best compliment, the best success a team can have.

“But we want to qualify [for the last 16], continue that level in the Premier League, being solid away and at home, and arrive in the best condition possible [at that stage] with everyone fit and [ready to] compete.

“Then – OK, try it again, why not? And if we go to the quarter-finals and maybe you are lucky to go forward. After that, the competition it speaks for itself. A lot of desires, a lot of wishes we can have at the end.

“The competition is so tough, so clinical, to say if you are better you are going to win, if you don’t, you are going home.”