Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City's hectic schedule and the pressure on every game they have left to play this season can help his side as they go in search of an historic quadruple.
The Blues moved a step closer to defending their Premier League crown with victory over Fulham on Saturday and seven more league wins will secure the second of four trophies on offer this season.
Cardiff visit the Etihad in the Premier League on Wednesday, before Guardiola's side head to Wembley next Saturday to face Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final.
Then it's the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham and in total City will play nine games in 30 days from Saturday's win at Craven Cottage to their league fixture at Burnley on April 28.
While the fixture list might be packed, Guardiola has spotted a hunger in his players to make history this season and he believes the succession of games can help City stay at their highest level for all three remaining competitions.
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"Maybe for the [FA] Cup semi-final and for the Champions League, being in the position in the Premier League where you know if you do not win you are going to lose the Premier League, maybe that is going to help us for other competitions," the City boss said.
"When you are 10 points or 12 points in front after you can be a little bit more selective, but now there is not another option.
"We don’t have another choice, every game we play we have to win, if not you drop that competition. That’s why sometimes feeling or playing with that pressure is nice, it’s necessary to take the best of ourselves."
A month ago, before City's midweek Premier League win against West Ham, Guardiola had said he wanted to 'smell the desire' from his players that they wanted to win the title.
They won that game 1-0 and Guardiola is still getting that whiff of aspiration a month later. With City returning to action from an international break at Fulham, the Catalan was stunned at the intensity of the Blues' start.
That didn't just begin with the 12.30pm kick-off either, with Guardiola revealing assistant Mikel Arteta had told him how impressive the players had been in the warm-up at Craven Cottage.
"I was really surprised with the way we approached and the way we started," he said.
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"Even Mikel told me that in the warm-up, 'wow, they are incredible, they are there, they are there'. Always after the international break you have doubts about one week off, most of the players stay here, the others change the training sessions, change the rhythm, came back from their countries and they are a little bit distracted, that’s normal.
"And you don’t have time to be involved, just two days and after that 12:30, you know, and it’s sunny, so that situation is a little bit different, that’s why I was incredibly surprised how good we started in the intensity with and without the ball.
"In the first 30 minutes maybe 3-0 was a clear result for us, we missed the last pass, the last action, the individual action, but sometimes that happens.
"But that is the only way, the only way. If you are tired let me know, you are not going to play, because you have to be fit, you cannot be tired, and they showed me again they want to do it."
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That has given Guardiola the belief that his side are mentally ready to go and win all five trophies - including the Community Shield - this season.
"I think the players are not stupid, the fact we are living something so difficult to achieve, to arrive in the beginning of April and we have won two titles this season and are fighting for the other three. They know it," he added.
"The way we start to play they show me that we want to do it, we want to try – it’s so difficult but we want to try. It’s not to think so much about the titles, it’s what’s next.
"What’s next is Cardiff, prepare well and go like a machine to win, to play, and try to win. One day maybe it’s not going to happen, so accept the reality. That is what it is. But I think mentally the people [players] are ready."
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