MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola mentioned he’s satisfied Manchester Metropolis will beat Membership Brugge and e book their place within the Champions League knockout rounds.
Guardiola’s group should win on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to safe a spot within the high 24 of the league part desk. Something lower than victory will see Metropolis fail to succeed in the knockout for the primary time for the reason that 2012-13 season.
“I appreciate your concern for if we don’t qualify but I think we are going to do it,” Guardiola advised a brand new convention on Tuesday.
“The scenario that now we have is that now we have to win the sport and if not we is not going to proceed on this competitors.
“We want to go though to have another chance to play another two games to have the chance of the next stages. It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity.”
Metropolis have gained simply two of their seven league part video games and sit outdoors the highest 24. Ending between ninth and twenty fourth will earn a two-legged playoff for a spot within the spherical of 16.
Membership Brugge are considered one of solely two groups going into the ultimate video games that mathematically may make the highest eight, find yourself within the knockout play-offs or be eradicated. They’re twentieth within the desk after wins over Aston Villa and Sporting CP and a house draw with Juventus on matchday seven.
“I’ve been here many years in the Champions League and these types of games I’ve played many times,” Guardiola mentioned.
“Sooner or later you have to play them where if you win you go through and if you don’t you go out. We are here for the reasons we know that we have not been good enough and this is a situation we have lived many times.”
Metropolis are enduring a tough season by their very own requirements, however head into the sport in opposition to Membership Brugge on the again of a powerful 3-1 win over Chelsea within the Premier League on Saturday.
“It’s obviously a final for us,” defender Josko Gvardiol mentioned. “We need to qualify for the following stage and our confidence is superb, particularly after the final recreation [against Chelsea].
“They are a good team, there is a reason they are here in the Champions League and it is not going to be easy.”