Pep Guardiola has been regarded as one of the best managers of all time but has been under a lot of criticism for failing to win the Champions League since leaving FC Barcelona. Guardiola has turned City into a domestic behemoth, winning five trophies including two Premier League since his arrival in England in 2016. But the former Barcelona manager has admitted that his career at Manchester City will be termed as a failure if he does not manage to win the most prestigious club competition in Europe. Watch Jose Mourinho’s Hilarious Reaction As Raheem Sterling Avoids Red Card During Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City Clash in Premier League 2019-20.

Manchester City have won five of the possible six trophies in England’s domestic competition but have failed to reproduce that form on the continental level. The defending English champions have failed to make it past the quarter-finals of the Champions League in each of last three seasons, losing to Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Pep Guardiola won the premier European competition with Barcelona twice in four years but has not managed to replicate that feat since leaving the Spanish Club. His pedigree of winning in Europe was one of the reasons City signed him but reaching the semi-finals once in four years is not enough. And as a result, the 49-year-old accepts that he needs to win the trophy in order for his time at Man City to be considered as a success.

‘We will, of course, not just be judged on the way we play but the titles we win. That is the truth. It is as simple as that’ said Guardiola in a recent interview. ‘Last year was an extraordinary one for us but people say, 'But you didn't win the Champions League'. That is why I will be judged, if we don't win it in my final period here, that I will be a failure here. I know that.’ The Catalan added.

Manchester City are already out of the Premier League race this season as Liverpool already hold a 22 point lead after 25 games. So this will be a good opportunity for City to focus on the Champions League but it will not be an easy task as they face record champions Real Madrid in a round of 16 clash. The first leg of that encounter will be played at Santiago Bernabeu on February 27, 2020 (Wednesday).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 03, 2020 09:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).