Joe Hart says Pep Guardiola needs to listen to his own hype in order to counter criticism over Man City's Champions League record.
Guardiola has led City to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time as a manager, having previously struggled to hit the same heights he reached in the competition early on in his managerial career with Barcelona.
Former City goalkeeper Hart says he can understand why Guardiola may have become frustrated at his side's below-par record in the Champions League, but also urged the manager to balance that with the praise he has received over his decorated career.
Speaking on BT Sport, Hart said Guardiola's Champions League victories with Barca means he can afford to focus on helping City to win the competition instead of worrying about his own personal record in Europe.
He said: "I think he’s kind of put himself in a position where he can’t answer to anyone, he can’t afford for things to be laid over his head.
"The balance to that is that he also needs to believe the hype and all the brilliant things he’s done.
"When you’re at the top, you just need to stay at that level, the next game, next focus and of course there are going to be moments where he is going to feel frustrated because he’s had the tools to win this competition many times previously, probably been criticised, but when you’re the level that he is, you’re going to hear criticism so you’ve also got to listen to the hype.
"There’s a nice balance for him, he’s in this competition to win it for no other reason that he wants the team to win."
