Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City are still ‘far away’ from winning the Champions League despite the club’s 2-1 win at Real Madrid.
City came from behind to beat the Spanish side at the Bernabeu, to climb up to fourth in the league phase table.
A position inside the top eight guarantees automatic progress to the last 16 and City’s fate is now in their own hands, ahead of remaining fixtures against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray.
City return to Champions League action next month, but Guardiola was keen to downplay his side’s hopes of winning the competition at this stage of the season.
“We are (far) away. Still, we are not ready. In February, we will be better. We have been here in the past, playing much than today, and we have lost. That’s football sometimes,” he said.
“The players made an incredible effort, it was an incredibly good result, the spirit is unbelievable, but there are still margins to improve.”
“It could be better. Of course, winning in the Bernabeu is so difficult. Four, five, six players played their first game here, so maybe we’re not completely ready to play in these stages like we are, but it’s a process and there are a lot of new players
“Winning here, I have to be happy, especially in terms of points. We have 13 already, so it’s in our hands to finish in the top eight. That is the target. Winning here, after what happened in Leverkusen, has been good.
“Rodrygo, what a player. Vinicius, Bellingham and the pace they have up front is so dangerous and that’s why you cannot stay high. You have to be so committed in the way you have to defend. We lacked a little bit, but in general, the effort was extraordinary.”
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