Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte believes Lyon results will help Champions League quest
Wednesday 28 November 2018 12:32, UK
Aymeric Laporte believes Manchester City's Champions League struggles against Lyon will stand them in good stead for the rest of the competition.
City claimed a place in the last 16 on Tuesday as they twice came from behind to scramble a 2-2 draw against the French side to qualify for the knockout stages of this season's Champions League.
It was City's second tough encounter against Lyon having been beaten by the Ligue 1 side at the Etihad Stadium in September.
Defender Laporte, who scored City's first equaliser, said: "What we learn from this is there are a lot of strong teams and if you want to fight for this European trophy you need to fight very hard.
"All the teams are very competitive and demanding in this competition. That is our main challenge, to try to beat them all."
Pep Guardiola's side will now look to go through as Group F winners by taking at least a point from their final fixture at home to Hoffenheim.
Their hopes of taking that top spot would have been all the more difficult had Sergio Aguero not headed in a second equaliser.
"That's what we had to do, we had to come back twice," said Laporte. "That's why we are happy for the draw and the qualification, because that's what really matters for us.
"The main goal from the beginning was qualifying for the round of 16."
The Frenchman has become a mainstay of City's defence this season and is enjoying his partnership with England centre-back John Stones.
"We have a great relationship," said the 24-year-old. "We are always together joking all the time and on the pitch it is working well for both of us.
"We need to take advantage of that.
"We are very happy for the qualification and are looking forward to the next games."
