Pep Guardiola says Manchester City won’t be detracted from the task in hand as the Club prepares for Wednesday’s opening Champions League game against Lyon.
The Blues have been tipped by many pundits as potential winners of this year’s tournament.
But as the boss prepared his players for this week’s Etihad clash with their French opponents, Guardiola – who guided Barcelona to two Champions League titles in 2009 and 2011 – said he was not concerned by such talk.
Instead, he said he simply wants City to focus and seek to make a positive start to this season’s European campaign.
Asked about City’s Champions League standing following Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League win over Fulham, Pep said: “I’m not worried or concerned for one second about expectation or whether we deserve more credit for the Champions League.
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“In terms of expectations, you have to win it on the pitch so I’m not worried or concerned at all.
“At the end, it’s about what happens on the pitch. If we get credit it will be because we deserve it.
“I want to see my team play better and cut out mistakes.
“That is what I want – what happens out on the pitch is the real judge for me.”
The manager also spoke of his huge admiration for Bernardo Silva following the midfielder’s superb individual start to the season and revealed one of the key areas where he believes City can still further improve.
Watch the video above to see Pep’s views in full.
