Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's place in the Champions League final shows how remarkable their efforts in the competition previously have been, as he pointed to two 'lucky' Manchester United wins in Europe to prove how small margins make the difference.
City beat Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate to book their place in their first ever Champions League final, where they will face Real Madrid or Chelsea in Istanbul on May 29.
After four disappointing exits to Monaco, Liverpool, Tottenham and Lyon under Guardiola, City made their own luck against PSG, and the manager said those exits prove how good their performance has been this season.
When asked by BT Sport how it felt to reach a first final in 10 years since leaving Barcelona, Guardiola said: "The people believe it's easy to arrive in the Champions League. People believe because it happens in the past that you have to arrive in the final of the Champions League. Unfortunately, getting to the final now makes sense what we have done the last four years, five years.
"Every day the consistency the guys have shown the last five years, this is the remarkable thing. We won the first game this competition a shot from the hips of the opponent, today was a post from Marquinhos. Maybe the penalty is given, of course it's not a penalty but maybe it's given and you are out for these little details.
"United won a Champions League because Terry slippy, United won in the final minute in the Camp Nou in 1999. This competition, Madrid won vs Atletico Madrid in 93 minutes. This competition is so difficult, there's something in the stars they're involved. We won 11 games, just draw with Porto. Now we have three weeks to prepare for the final."
Guardiola also took time to praise the players who weren't involved in the second leg, as he said: "For all of us, the club. Incredibly proud, my first thoughts always for the players who didn't play today, I know for them it's always so tough.
"They deserve to play but everyone makes their contribution in this Champions League season. Now is time to enjoy it. One step to the Premier League and have two, three weeks to prepare for the final."
