KEVIN DE BRUYNE warned his team-mates they will be branded failures if City blow their latest Champions League mission.
Despite the countless millions which have been poured into the club, a semi-final exit four years ago is the best that Manchester City have managed.
Kevin De Bruyne believes that City will be labelled as ‘failures’ if they don’t win the Champions LeagueCredit: AFP or licensors
How Manchester City have fared in previous CL years
Pep Guardiola’s side face Real Madrid in their last-16 first leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
And if Uefa have their way, this will be City’s last season in the competition ahead of a two-year ban for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
Midfielder De Bruyne, 28, said: “It’s Madrid and they have won the most Champions Leagues out of everybody.
“But I think we will go there to try to play our game, try to play offensive football and put them under pressure
“If we don’t win the Champions League, everybody is going to say we are failures like the last five years.
“It’s something we’ve not won yet. We always want to win everything but sometimes another team is better or performing well – like Liverpool are doing this season.
“It’s just that way and you have to admit it. But we will go there to win. You can’t look forward too much, though.
Although Saturday night’s clash at Leicester was between second and third in the Premier League, it was actually City’s least important match of three games in a week.
It’s nice to play these really big games and the fans are excited about it. There’s a lot of talk about it, so we prepare ourselves the best way we can.
Kevin De Bruyne on the week ahead
After the trip to the Spanish capital, they head to London on Sunday for the Carabao Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley.
De Bruyne – lucky to get away with a blatant handball from James Maddison’s first-half free-kick – is relishing the showdown with Real, who suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Levante at the weekend.
The Belgian added: “It’s nice to play these really big games and the fans are excited about it.
“There’s a lot of talk about it, so we prepare ourselves the best way we can.”
City were fortunate not to concede a penalty when keeper Ederson punched Foxes striker Kelechi Iheanacho when trying to clear the ball.
Guardiola’s side got a penalty after Dennis Praet handled. Sergio Aguero missed his fourth spot-kick in seven – and yet he still wants to be the penalty-taker.
Aguero, though, was subbed for Gabriel Jesus, who hit the winner.
Wednesday’s game is a massive one for Guardiola.
So, it will be in a marvellous stadium where we have to show our personality and I know my players, myself, all the club, want to fight until the end for this title.
Pep Guardiola on City’s trip to Real Madrid
The former Barcelona coach has faced Real 17 times as a manager, winning nine, drawing four and losing four.
His last match against the 13-times European kings was the Champions League semi-final in 2014 when, as Bayern Munich boss, he lost 5-0 on aggregate.
Guardiola said: “It is the real, real test. The kings of this competition against one team who are not used to playing these kind of games much.
“So, it will be in a marvellous stadium where we have to show our personality and I know my players, myself, all the club, want to fight until the end for this title.
“I have played them many times as a player and as a manager. I have an incredible admiration for this club and I know how difficult it is to keep winning.
“We don’t have many players who have won it. But we need the desire to win it and be ourselves.”
Guardiola then smiled as he delivered a slip, briefly forgetting his club’s impending two-year ban, even though City have appealed it.
He added: “This is the last 16 and you have to beat the big, big, big clubs if you are to win it.
“If we are able to, we will be so happy to and if we don’t, there will be next season.
“Next season… I don’t know. But when we are able to play again, we will come back.”
One man who will not be there to haunt Guardiola is Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now at Juventus.
Guardiola added: “I think Ronaldo, with Messi, is a guy who scores 50 or 60 goals a season and has maintained his level all season. Any team would become a little bit softer once they leave.
“But Madrid have had two seasons without him.
Pep Guardiola has won nine of his 17 matches against Real Madrid as a managerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“I have seen their games and there are things they did not do before.
“They press forward and they don’t wait.
“They are incredibly aggressive with the quality of the players they have. They are always a top side.”
De Bruyne couldn’t prevent City from bowing out to Spurs last seasonCredit: AFP or licensors
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
