Pep Guardiola issues final verdict on new Champions League format after Manchester City qualification for last-16 play-off | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued one final verdict on the brand new league phase format in the UEFA Champions League after its conclusion this week.

The Premier League champions saved from themselves from one of the greatest embarrassments in recent European football history as they secured a last-gasp play-off place for the last-16 of this season’s Champions League.

A successive run of poor results in the four games that preceded the final contest of the league phase – including heavy defeats to Sporting and Paris Saint-Germain – meant City had no choice other than to win against Club Brugge on matchday eight to progress.

And up until the half-time whistle, the feeling was that Manchester City would not manage that outcome, as the Belgian outfit recorded a slender 0-1 advantage at the break only for Pep Guardiola to make a tactical adjustment and substitution to spark a comeback.

Speaking to reporters during his post-match press conference, Guardiola was asked for his views on the brand new UEFA Champions League format after Manchester City escaped the threat of elimination with a 3-1 win on matchday eight against Club Brugge.

“I would say I don’t like it because we suffered a lot, but I like it! As a spectator, in the last game, how many things, nobody is sure, important teams can be out, and it’s nice,” Guardiola admitted.

“The problem is we played more games, and when you are not fit or ready you suffer like we suffered. And in future, the important teams will live maybe what we lived this season.

“Or maybe not because the team maybe will realise, ‘Oh my god! If you are not aware already from the beginning, we can be out!'”

When asked for his thoughts on the Etihad Stadium atmosphere during a tense and nervy night for Manchester City fans on Wednesday, Guardiola said, “We have to give something to them; as much as they come, I love them!

“Always I ask, ‘Please! Come to join us!’ And after, you have to do something! It is what it is our crowd; we have to give it to them. We didn’t do it.”

Manchester City’s fate in the competition is set to be finalised on Friday when the draw for the play-off round for a last-16 place will be conducted by UEFA, with Pep Guardiola and his players already knowing that they will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

The other of those two European giants will take on Celtic in the play-off round, as 21st and 22nd in the league format of the UEFA Champions League take on 11th and 12th respectively, with ties decided via a draw procedure.