Pep Guardiola recognized the important challenge ahead for its Manchester City team while preparing to face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the Play-Offs of the Champions League.
The Giants of the Premier League avoided little an early way out of the competition after organizing a return to defeat the Brugge 3-1 club at the Etihad stadium.
The defending champions found themselves in trouble when Raphael Onyedika fired to the Belgian side to the lead just before the half -weather whistle.
If the result had continued to be the same for the entire game, City, which was sitting outside the 24 best competition teams, could have been eliminated from the Champions League.
However, they responded quickly after the break, with Mateo Kovacic advancing and placing a compound finish in the lower corner to level the score only eight minutes in the second half.
The change continued nine minutes later when Joel Ordonez unnoticly turned the ball into his own network. Savinho then sealed the victory with a late goal, ensuring the city's place in the play-offs.
Pep Guardiola recognized the important challenge that is coming from the side of his city of his man in Europe
Premier League giants avoided little an early way out of competition after organizing a return to defeat the Brugge club
Reflecting on the performance of his team, Guardiola recognized his slow beginning, but praised his improvement in the second half
Despite his relief as he moved, the way ahead is discouraging, with Guardiola's men ready to face one of the two European powers.
“Going to Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will be really hard,” Guardiola admitted. 'But it is in two weeks, and in two weeks we have some return players, the new return signings, so I hope we can do two good games.
'They are better than us at this time, both, but I don't know what will happen in the next two weeks.
'Ruben (days) and Nathan (AKE) are back, Jeremy (Doku), Oscar (Bobb), new signings. If everyone returns, we can compete.
Reflecting on his team's performance against the Brugge club, Guardiola recognized his slow beginning, but praised his improvement in the second half.
“In the second half, we lift our soul and our hearts were free,” he said.
'For today, we are in the next round, that's good. The first half was so academic that we did not have the spark to do it against a team that defends itself very well.
The former city goalkeeper, Joe Hart, anxiously anticipates the next raffle, especially with Bayern Munich now administered by Vincent Kompany
'It has been so unstable this season. Today is a feeling of relief to qualify and, of course, it is a long season for us. ''
The former city goalkeeper Joe Hart, meanwhile, anxiously anticipates the next raffle, especially with Bayern Munich now administered by the legend of the city of Vincent Kompany.
“It would be great to recover Vinnie (Kompany) in the Etihad with Bayern, but Real Madrid would also be an absolutely massive draw,” Hart said in BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Who the city and Celtic obtain the next of those two in the play-offs, it is really exciting for my two clubs … Bring the draw on Friday!”
