Sunday 14 April 2019 10:47, UK
Pep Guardiola says he is sure Manchester City will bounce back from their first-leg defeat and beat Tottenham to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
City were beaten 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie, and must beat Spurs by two clear goals to overhaul their Premier League rivals and reach the last four.
Guardiola's side recorded just two shots on target in the defeat to Spurs - one of which was Sergio Aguero's saved penalty - but the City boss is not panicking and believes they will win the tie.
He told Sky Sports News: "The only [reason to] panic is that you will be out of the competition. I'm pretty sure we're going to be in the next Champions League.
"We'll be sad one day, two days [if we lose the quarter-final], then after we play for the Premier League and the chance to be champion. We play the final of the FA Cup, and next season we'll be there again; that is for sure.
"If you ask me what is going to happen, we'll be in the semi-finals; that is what I feel right now.
"It's what I felt right after the game and when I reviewed the game. Maybe I'm wrong but what I feel now, we'll be in the semi-finals."
Following City's defeat to Spurs, Ilkay Gundogan said they are "too nervous" in the Champions League and were "not brave enough" in the first leg.
Guardiola made it clear on Friday he did not agree with his midfielder's view, but does admit City are still a work in progress in the Champions League.
He said: "Football is a never-ending process; sometimes you step forwards, sometimes you step back.
"Of course that competition [the Champions League] is more difficult, but the way we approached it, especially in that game, was good.
"We started not good against Lyon [lost 2-1 at home] and at the end we qualified.
"I didn't expect to solve the problem in London. The result is not ideal but it's not a disaster. We are able to score goals and we are going to do it."
