Guardiola says European glory will define reign at Man City
Pep Guardiola claims he will be regarded as a failure at Manchester City if he does not win the Champions League.
Guardiola has won five major trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, including two Premier League titles.
As yet, however, they have been unable to transfer their domestic dominance onto the European stage.
City have not yet progressed beyond the quarter-finals under Guardiola, getting knocked out by Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham in the Spaniard’s last three campaigns.
Guardiola won the competition twice at Barcelona but could not repeat that at Bayern Munich.
His tenure at the German club was consequently considered a disappointment in some quarters, despite him winning three successive Bundesliga crowns.
He said: ‘We will, of course, not just be judged on the way we play but the titles we win. That is the truth. It is as simple as that.
‘Last year was an extraordinary one for us but people say, ‘But you didn’t win the Champions League’.
‘That is why I will be judged, if we don’t win it in my final period here, that I will be a failure here. I know that.
‘But I enjoy working with my players and my players still win a lot of games. Winning a certain way is what helps you to win the titles a and we believe we can play that way. We will see at the end.’
City return to Spurs Sunday for the first time since their defeat in last season’s quarter-final first leg.
Spurs are now under the charge of Guardiola’s old rival Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese having taken over from the sacked Mauricio Pochettino last November.
Guardiola expects to face a team that shows traits of both managers in Sunday’s Premier League contest.
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He said: ‘They are quite different but there are similarities. Their teams are both quite aggressive.
‘I saw Tottenham at Southampton and they were alive. They conceded a last-minute goal but I saw a team that is there.
‘Every manager has different ideas, both are incredible managers. Mauricio Pochettino was there five or six years while Mourinho has been there just months, so all managers need time to make our teams play the way we want.’