Pep Guardiola says his legacy is 'already exceptional' even if Manchester City don't win treble

Right Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will have to play better than they did in the first leg against Real Madrid if they're to progress to the Champions League final. Ben Ransom was at that packed news conference and he joins us live now. Good afternoon to you Ben. City on the verge aren't they of winning the Premier League title again but Pep has never won the Champions League since taking over at City. Do you feel that brings a little bit more pressure? There's no doubt about it I mean he's never won the Champions League actually since leaving Barcelona and let's not forget when he went to Bayern Munich the dominant force in Germany the intention was to take him there to be the manager that won the Champions League for them didn't happen he's come to Manchester City he has reached a final he's reached a semi-final he's reached another semi-final so it's a remarkable run he's had there's no doubt about that but he's said to us many times in this competition in particular it's about the toss of a coin it's those games it's those big moments he reminded us all about for example the game against Tottenham Hotspur that year when they thought they'd won it City at one end they scored the goal they thought was the winning goal it was ruled out and right up the other end Tottenham went and scored and they ended up going on to the final to play Liverpool in Madrid so it's a competition that brings no guarantees there's no doubt about that Guardiola is absolutely in control of what this team's doing here in England but in Europe things have gone awry we saw that in the semi-final as well didn't we against Real but in terms of what he's achieved here at Manchester City it was I think a comment he made a couple of months ago when he suggested that he would be judged on whether he wins the Champions League and is able to get Manchester City's name on that trophy for the first time he's kind of rolled back from that a little bit in recent weeks I think he's just pointed out how impressive his resume is in this country in particular they're on the verge of a fifth Premier League title in six years that could be confirmed this weekend they're into an FA Cup final they're chasing the treble so he was asked today what that would do for his legacy in Manchester my legacy was is already nobody came with my legs our legacy is exceptional already so we have been here for many times already so we are not stupid to to know how important is tomorrow game is maybe one of the most important games since we are here we cannot deny that for the competition for the rival for the for many things but I said to the players so leave it like a huge opportunity enjoy the moment it depends on us we don't have to do I would say something exceptional it's just to do ourselves and win one game to reach the final and we're going to give everything we're going to do everything I have an incredible feeling about the team and whatever happened it just thank you so much to to to them to bring me to bring me to bring us all of our city fans to be to be here again it was been a remarkable response to that question I thought it was quite rightly he has done everything he doesn't need to doubt his own legacy um he does like to overthink a little bit there's no risk of him overthinking this match is there well not according to himself though and what you're alluding to there are some of the big games where Manchester City have fallen short because seemingly he's torn up the blueprint of what's got them to the point they get there for example in that Champions League final against Chelsea in Portugal he went into that game City again were favourites they've been on this incredible uh winning run and then he decided not to play with the defensive midfielder in that match and do something completely different and he'd sat there by his own admission thinking over and over again how he could tactically outwit Thomas Tuchel in that final and obviously we know what happened Chelsea went on to win that game one nil and lift the Champions League trophy for them again and for City they're still waiting for that moment so obviously he's well aware of the narrative around some of those decisions and let's not forget on one hand he is a maverick genius I mean look you look at the formation he's played this year completely changing what was a winning formula anyway it's more of a back three now with one of those defenders stepping into that central midfield slot that's new for this season there's a four players who try and play and support and get in and around Erling Haaland that's new for this season and we've seen other teams try and emulate that most notably I guess down the road at Liverpool we've now seen Trent Alexander-Arnold playing in exactly that double pivot so he does set trends goalkeepers passing out from the back but of course there's always the danger that he does overthink however he's promising the fans that won't happen tomorrow the reason why they bring me here with my staff to to do the best as possible but of course we cannot deny so we won all the titles except this one and uh and we want it of course we want it this is another opportunity we had two seasons ago when we lost the final against Chelsea last season against Madrid this season again so yeah we want it of course we want it we with all desire and I think with being intelligent and smart enough to do what you have to do to to to win that game and this is what we wanted to do people say yeah we are close you know for this kind of title title I think we are far away so come down the most difficult games to play right now so but in the same time every time I it happened last season when we play against Madrid or previous season against Chelsea it's a dream you know it's a dream come true it's a dream come true to be here so again so nobody guarantee in the future we'll be here nobody can assure us so we just once we are there let's go let's go. So Pep Guardiola then confident as confident as you can be in a Champions League semi-final a position they've been in previously where they have faltered against this very opponent in the last 12 months but they do go into this game as slight favourites and that's judging by their incredible run they've been on not just at the Etihad not just in the Champions League but in all competitions as well that's taken to the verge of the Premier League title as well we'll get a sense of here the fitness of the players particularly Kevin De Bruyne will go and see a bit of open training for them and we'll bring that to you on Sky Sports News after four o'clock he did say today by the way that De Bruyne is training properly he is fit there any absentee is expected to be Nathan Ake but we'll get to see that for ourselves after four I'll be there we'll bring it to you and all the pictures there live on Sky Sports News as well. Looking forward to it already thank you Ben.