World Soccer

Guardiola says Man City ‘want more’ after reaching Champions League semis (video)

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City “want more” as they marched into the Champions League semi-finals with the Premier League leaders on course to win four titles this season.

Phil Foden’s second-half winner at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday sealed a 2-1 away win in the quarter-final, second leg to claim a 4-2 aggregate victory and set up a semi-final clash with Paris Saint Germain.

Guardiola’s side stay on course for a historic quadruple of Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.

They also ended their miserable run of exiting at the quarter-final stage in each of the three seasons to make the Champions League semis at the fifth time of asking under Guardiola.

“I am incredibly happy for this club, for this chairman and for the fans, everyone,” he said.

“For all of us, it was necessary to get to the semi-finals and now we want more.

“It’s time to celebrate and drink a lot of wine, then prepare to face Chelsea (in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday).

“We need three victories to be Premier League champions, so it’s important to keep going in this way.”

Guardiola also heaped praise on City’s match-winner Foden, who had also netted a 90th-minute goal in the first leg last week to seal a 2-1 home win.

“The second goal from Phil in Manchester was crucial,” said Guardiola.

“You had the feeling he is a guy who never hides and he always creates something, he scored two important goals to help us reach the semi-finals.”

City’s man-of-the-match Ilkay Gundogan said his side had showed character to come from behind.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham gave Dortmund an early lead, but a second-half Riyad Mahrez penalty and Foden’s powerful strike moved City into the last four of Europe’s top club competition for the second time.

“It means a lot to be honest, this club and this team deserve it,” Gundogan told BT Sport.

“Today once again we showed character, we didn’t play well at all in the first 15 minutes, we struggled and we weren’t brave enough and were scared to lose something. That was obvious.

“After conceding the first goal we were able to get hold of possession and create chances.

“Our target was to score the first goal of the second half and get the game back into our hands.

“That’s exactly what we did.”

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By Agence France Presse