Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City are prepared and have the mental maturity to progress in their Champions League quarter final with Lyon.
Having booked their place in the Champions League finale in Lisbon by beating Real Madrid, City flew out on Monday and have been training at the Portuguese national side's training base all week.
Guardiola was speaking to the media ahead of Saturday's quarter final when he was asked how close City are to the final given the last three rounds are single-leg games.
"I would like to tell you what happens tomorrow but all I honestly don't know. All I can say is we are prepared," Guardiola said as he revealed the mood in the camp ahead of the biggest game of the season.
"I am incredibly proud of the team and I can say that the way they have behaved especially in these last two or three weeks has been incredibly focused. We accept the deal of trying to help the club to go to the semi-final.
“The format is what it is after the pandemic and the lockdown situation. We have had to adapt every day for the new protocols and things and now we are here. We have eaten well, we have drank good win at night - and we have worked a lot.
“We have looked at Lyon and tried to discover their secrets and now is the time to be ourselves. I want to see my team show who they are. I want them to do everything they always try to do from in their soul and in their minds. After that, the football will dictate whether we deserve it or not. It's as simple as that.”
Guardiola dismissed the idea that City are more mature this season compared to last year's exit in the quarter finals, but said his side are ready for the challenge ahead against Lyon.
Have your say in our Man City end-of-season survey:
He explained: "I find it difficult to understand sometimes. When we won in Madrid we are mature and when we lost against Tottenham by an inch last year we were not mature. I have never understood that.
“Of course, experience helps but in Madrid we played a tired first half. Then, when we played better, Madrid scored and when they were playing better we scored.
“I don't expect that it will be one side for 90 minutes. There will be moments when we have to suffer. There are moments we will control and there will be moments when they attack and we have to defend.
“We have to be strong in our minds and try to do our plan. These game are about the mentality and the spirit and I think the players are ready to do it.”
And part of Guardiola's reasoning is the ability to form a training camp in Lisbon like an international tournament, which is different to previous years when clubs play home and away until the final.
"The facilities are good, the food is good too," he said. "The Portugal FA and UEFA have allowed us to train in their facilities and they are good too. The distances are short: 20-25 minutes. Good weather.
"The guys spend time together, talking, preparing the game. We have had time to talk about the opponents and ourselves. That is what we have done, nothing special, just spend more time together – the backroom staff as well as the players. I think it’s good, really good. Hopefully we can stay here longer.
"I think this is an important moment for our careers, for our lives as professionals. So this is one in a lifetime and I think being together is exceptional. I prefer – people know it – to be at home. I don’t like to be in hotels. I don’t like to make a concentration.
"But this is a special (situation). The base is quite comfortable and the weather is fantastic. That’s why it is nice to be here and our dream is to do a good game and stay a few more days in this lovely country."
