Pep Guardiola: Man City need the perfect game to beat Liverpool

Manchester City host Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday. They are 3-0 down from the first leg. But coach Pep Guardiola says his team can go through if they play the perfect game.

“Of course to go through you have to make almost the perfect game. Create chances, be clinical, concede few chances. All the conditions have to be almost perfect to go through so we know it’s going to tough but we have 90 minutes and in football everything can happen," said Pep.

"We are going to try. We don’t have think about how many we have to score. We have to score the first one and then make a second one and we’ll see where the momentum takes us.

“I don’t know [if we are mentally damaged by Liverpool and United defeats] but if we are not able to do it, it will be a good lesson for the future. We are going to see it’s a good test. Football is a challenge like life and we are happy to handle it.

“This year and even in the last game we showed we are able to create a few chances in just a few minutes and the opponents know that, too.

“If we concede, don’t give up. It’s more than 90 minutes. Many times we created a lot of chances in short period of time, we have to be clinical and if we are not clinical then move on to the next one.

“I think to reach the semi-final would be only the second time in our history. We don’t need to talk about motivation. The way they play in every game shows what they want to do. My team is extraordinary, it’s not comparable to many others, it’s top, exceptional. I will be close to them no matter what happens between now and the end of the season. It’s a joy to be manager of them.

“We have to defend better. I don’t want to lose but I was so delighted to lose the way we did (vs Man United on Sunday), the way we played is outstanding, I am so happy.”