Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate to set up a Champions League semi-final against holders Real Madrid; Pep Guardiola said: "We are exhausted"; Nathan Ake withdrawn in second half due to suspected hamstring injury
Thursday 20 April 2023 18:15, UK
Pep Guardiola fears his Manchester City side are facing "exhaustion" in their bid to win multiple competitions after reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
City beat Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate to set up another Champions League semi-final showdown with Real Madrid.
Guardiola's side are four points behind Arsenal in the Premier League but have a game in hand and they face Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday. If City are to reach both major finals to have a chance of the treble, they will have to play another 13 fixtures this season.
"We are exhausted," said Guardiola.
"I don't know how we recover to play against Sheffield United [in the FA Cup semi-final]. Now is a tough moment for the game on Saturday.
"Three years in a row in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
"We struggled in the first half. Upamecano broke all the lines down our left side and we struggled with Coman. We were fortunate before the penalty miss, they had one or two chances and anything could happen but we defended really well.
"The finishing from Erling was really, really good. He is so young. The experience that we have in this competition, the players feel it a lot, they want to do it really well. The second half was much, much better since minute one."
Holding a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, City weathered an early storm in Germany before Erling Haaland's composed finish in the 57th minute effectively confirmed his side's place in the last four for a third year in a row.
Guardiola said: "The result of 4-1 doesn't really show what was the two games, from my point of view. I could not expect differently for how good they are - the physicality, the ideas.
"Bayern Munich always impressed me when I lived with them and I am always impressed when I play against them. Since minute one we always felt the game was in much control. What we have done is incredible - three Champions League semi-finals. I think all the clubs around the world had the feeling that if you want to win the competition, you have to beat Real Madrid. Before it was Barcelona, now it's Real Madrid."
Guardiola's only other concern will be the seriousness of a suspected hamstring injury to defender Nathan Ake, who had to be withdrawn in the second half.
Ake told Sky Sports News after the game: "I've had it before and it feels a little bit less to be honest, but you never know with these things, so we will do the ultrasounds and stuff tomorrow and then hopefully it's not too bad."
Kevin De Bruyne felt Haaland showed great character to finish off a swift counter-attack, having missed from the penalty spot earlier in the game.
The Belgian said: "Knowing him he will not be happy with missing the penalty but it is over then.
"When you have another chance you have to go again. He had the opportunity, finished it with class and he helps us win games."
City will travel to the Spanish capital on May 9 before hosting the reigning champions the following week, in a rematch of last year's encounter won by Real Madrid in dramatic circumstances.
Prior to that, however, they have other pressing matters with Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United followed by a crunch top-of-the-table Premier League encounter with Arsenal four days later.
"It is going to be a quick turnaround," De Bruyne said. "The schedule is what it is. It is very hard for us but it is a privilege playing in all these semi-finals.
"A lot of people want to be in our position. We are proud, but we have to go on.
"What happened last year happened. We played really well in the two games and the last five minutes changed the course [of the tie].
"You have to take it on the chin and move on. It happened and it doesn't mean we didn't play well for the majority of the two games. Football is about details and it happens and you move on."
Sky Sports' Dan Sansom:
"It's looking ominous. They're very close to it. Far too close for comfort," said a concerned Gary Neville at the weekend.
Manchester City have been here before. It's not the first time they've had a realistic chance of winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season. And under Pep Guardiola, it's usually the norm at this time of year.
Of course, the Champions League is the one piece of silverware that always seems to slip away. This season, though, it feels different.
City have the luxury of being able to call upon the ruthless Erling Haaland, who took his tally to a staggering 48 goals this term when he scored against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. That, as well as going 15 games unbeaten in all competitions, suggests Neville is right to be worried.
"They're purring now and are serious about it," the Sky Sports pundit added. Guardiola's men are on the charge and mean business.
Real Madrid - City's semi-final conquerors last season - could well end their dream again. AC Milan or Inter Milan could also prevent them from finally winning Europe's elite club competition. But with Arsenal showing signs of faltering in the Premier League title race and Sheffield United up next in the FA Cup semi-finals, winning all three major honours is looking increasingly possible.
They've completed the domestic treble before, but this one is considered the best. Manchester United are the only English side to have managed it, but there's every chance City will emulate their rivals this year. There's no better team in Europe right now.
April 22: Sheffield United (Wembley) - FA Cup, kick-off 4.45pm
April 26: Arsenal (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
April 30: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 7: Leeds United (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 9: Real Madrid (A) - Champions League
May 13: Everton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 17: Real Madrid (H) - Champions League
May 20: Chelsea (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Brentford (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
TBA: Brighton (A) - Premier League
