Guardiola’s City launch new campaign; Bayern want to repeat treble

LONDON: Pep Guardiola admitted on Tuesday that he still feels responsible for the manner of Manchester City’s Champions league exit last season, saying they have to “close these gaps” as they chase European glory.

City, who host Porto in their opening group match on Wednesday (today), have never gone beyond the semi-finals of the competition despite all their domestic success in recent years.

Memories of the quarter-final loss to Lyon in August remain fresh for Guardiola, who won the competition for the second time as Barcelona boss in 2011 but has failed to lift the trophy since.

“It was a tough moment,” said the Catalan. “I felt so responsible for how the club felt, the players. I was not able to drive the club and I feel responsible.

“But watching the games we have to accept the reality that we were not good enough. We did not play bad, we played some real good moments but we sometimes made mistakes and in this competition you cannot do it.”

Guardiola said City were not far away from cracking the secret of European success.

“I always had the feeling we were close,” he said. “The gaps were little but you have to close these gaps. We have to solve it.

“It’s the past. Now is a new opportunity and we are going to start at zero again.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach said Wednesday’s fixture had added significance because it was at home.

“The reality to win the home games is so important for qualification,” he said. “We’re still a little bit away from where we want to be.”

City were without Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte and Benjamin Mendy for Saturday’s 1-0 win against Arsenal, but Guardiola said the situation was slowly improving.

“Oleksandr Zinchenko is back and other players are back,” he said. “Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo are in good condition. We expect Benjamin Mendy back soon so the team will grow.”

Meanwhile, Lucas Hernandez says Bayern Munich want to show “typical German mentality” and repeat last season’s treble, as they prepare to start their Champions League title defence against Atletico Madrid.

“You can speak of the typical German mentality: We want to win, win, win,” said the French defender, who cost Bayern a club-record 80 million euros ($94.5 million) from Atletico last year.

Just 59 days after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Lisbon final, Bayern host Atletico behind closed doors.

“It’s about entering the competition with the same enthusiasm and motivation,” the 24-year-od Hernandez said.

“The Champions League speaks for itself. Even after such a fantastic year, we want to build.”

He said he is looking forward to seeing his former team-mates, but said that only “Bayern counts on the pitch”.

An injury to striker Diego Costa is a blow for Atletico, with Joao Felix set to partner Luis Suarez up front.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick regards the opening Group A match as a true test for his side against Diego Simeone’s experienced outfit.

“Playing in the first game of the Champions League against Atletico is a highlight,” said Flick.

“Diego Simeone has managed to develop the team again and again. They have one of the best defences in Europe.”

With only Tanguy Nianzou and Leroy Sane sidelined, Bayern will be near full-strength and Flick hopes to start midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who is expecting his second child.

“Everyone knows how important Joshua is for our game, but we will have to wait until tomorrow,” Flick added.

Flick is also convinced Bayern have the quality to be “maybe even as successful as last year”.

However, he knows a condensed fixture list will test their strength in depth, with his team playing roughly every four days for the next three weeks.

Bayern boosted their squad with four signings just before the transfer window closed, including bringing Brazil winger Douglas Costa back to Munich on loan from Juventus.