Following the 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday night, his side have won 11 matches in all competitions ahead of our Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday at 17:30 (UK).
At his prematch news conference, the City boss was asked about comments from TV pundit Gary Neville who said he didn’t watch our 3-1 victory in the Champions League last-16 first leg as he felt there was no jeopardy.
But Guardiola said the Danish side, who qualified from the group stage ahead of Neville’s former club Manchester United, were not taken lightly and gave his players the credit for their ability to keep winning.
“Thank you for the compliment!” he said about Neville’s comments. “It’s fine.
“Everything is so difficult in football. We do many things to try to win games for many years. What this group of players have done for many years, this season as well, is admirable.
“It’s hat’s off to my players because it’s unbelievable how they are so consistent and the way they take our opponents seriously.
“I had the same opinion before Copenhagen, they are an incredibly difficult team to attack. If we are not perfect in many things or really good aspects of the game then we cannot achieve what we have achieved.
“We still have one game here which we will take seriously. This is all I can say to my players and hopefully we can continue in that way.”
Guardiola said that there are plenty of people who appreciate how his side are able to keep competing for trophies and realise how difficult it is.
“We are admired,” he added. “People who know football know how difficult it is to be there for six or seven years, every week in all competitions.
“I am going to tell you something - It looks easy but it’s not. Remember that sentence. It looks easy but it’s not.”
City receive plenty of respect from our opponents the boss added and said the most important thing was that the players have the determination to keep pushing for more success.
“The opponents respect us,” Guardiola said. “Always I said the same, sometimes it’s not enough but I know how difficult it is.
“To win the Treble and still we are there and see how we fought for each other.
“Before the 1-3 in Copenhagen we had many chances and the mentality we had to go and go. At the end it depends on us.
“People perceive it and it doesn’t matter. In football, they know it. It’s important to feel it for ourselves not for compliments from outside.
“We are happy with what we have done this year and we know it will be extremely difficult in the last few months. We start tomorrow.”
