Guardiola defends Champions League record with swipe at ‘crazy’ clubs

Pep Guardiola has aimed a swipe at clubs that do “crazy things” to win the Champions League as the Manchester City head coach defended the club’s recent record in the competition. The Catalan is preparing his side for the first leg of their semi-final tie with Real Madrid knowing that the competition that has eluded him so far, but Guardiola insists he prefers the club’s stable approach to winning silverware than their rivals’.

City are chasing an incredible Treble this season, something that has not been achieved by an English club since Manchester United in 1998-99. Their toughest test will be overcoming the defending European champions Madrid, who have already dumped Chelsea out of the competition.

Guardiola will know just how difficult beating the La Liga giants will be after being stunned at the Santiago Bernabeu last season, with two late goals dumping his side out of the competition. The previous year, Guardiola’s men were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in the final in Porto.

It is the third year in the row that City have made the last four, and while Guardiola accepts they were not good enough before, he has defended the Premier League title contenders’ approach to the competition – as well as taking a dig at the rivals’ approach.

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