Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side can ‘start to build history’ after finally ending their Champions League quarter-final hoodoo to keep their quadruple dream alive.
City’s 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night sealed a 4-2 aggregate triumph and set up a semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
City had never previously reached the last-four in four attempts under Guardiola, being knocked out at the last-16 during his first season in charge, before three successive quarter-final exits, including last season’s disastrous upset against Lyon.
It is only the second time that the club have ever reached the semi-final of Europe’s premier cub competition, the first coming under Manuel Pellegrini in 2016.
“I am incredibly happy for this club, for this chairman and for the fans, everyone,” Guardiola told BT Sport. “It is the second time in the semi-finals so it is not history in the club, but we start to build it.
“I’m incredibly happy to be in the semi-finals, to be one of the best four teams in Europe, to be against big, strong teams and we will try to be good.”
Jude Bellingham’s first-half strike had put Dortmund ahead on away goals after City’s 2-1 win at the Etihad last week.
However, goals from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden ultimately saw City through with plenty to spare and keeps Guardiola’s side on course for an unprecedented quadruple, with the Premier League title all-but wrapped up and an FA Cup semi-final and Carabao Cup final already in the diary for later this month.
“We need three wins to win the Premier League, we are in the semi-finals of the Champions League, we are in semi-finals of the FA Cup and the final of Carabao Cup,” Guardiola added. “It is incredible what we have done.”
