The Catalan coach is set to go in pursuit of Manchester City’s dream once again. It will be the sixth time Pep Guardiola will take a shot at ‘Ol’ Big Ears’ with the sky-blue Manchester team.The last time Guardiola felt the joy of lifting the Champions League trophy was in 2011 with Barcelona and all his attempts since then were futile.This season’s adventure starts in a tricky group – Citizens will face RB Leipzig ,Club Brugge and the mighty Paris Saint-Germain.Tebas: ‘Real can never be PSG, because PSG cheat”Previous campaign ended in the worst way possible, being that Guardiola and his squad were defeated in the finals by their Premier League rivals Chelsea.”Every time I start this competition with drive,” Guardiola said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s clash against Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.”Manchester City made a step forward last season, we improved a lot. We had 13 games and we won 11. We played incredibly well in [the final in] Porto when we drew and deserved to win.”We lost the final. People can say Manchester City was a failure but it was an incredible achievement last season playing really well in many of the games and losing well against a big contender.”Now we start a new one and every team wants to win. We’re going to try but I won’t tell you which team is going to win because I don’t know it.”Lukaku the answer to Zenit’s tough defense at Stamford BridgeThe rising pressure to win the Champions League has been inevitable. Years of implementing his system and spending more and more money on new signings – it all led to the boardroom and the fans expecting for the trophy to finally arrive to the cabinets at the Etihad Stadium. Even so – Guardiola feels that he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.The 50-year-old believes it only makes sense to judge how successful he has been with Man City after he leaves the club and he does not allow for the work he and his players have put in to be neglected.”If I win the Champions League, I will be happy for the club,” added Guardiola.”If I’m not able to do it, I’m not able [to]. After, you can judge the success of my period [at the club].”I try to do my best every single day, winning or not winning. People judge my job like I judge my players and how incredibly they’ve done in the last five years.”Liverpool to live up to their role of group favourites, Milan to prove they are not just ‘passing by’Even though Leipzig are a respectable side, everyone expects for the group-top-spot battle to be fought between Man City and PSG. The same PSG who are now home to Guardiola’s former player and great friend, and of course one of the best footballers of all time – Lionel Messi.More than 10 years after celebrating their last joint success at Wembley Stadium in London, where Barcelona defeated Manchester United to lift the Champions League trophy in 2011 – the two men are set to face each other in this season’s edition of Champions League group A.Wed, 15/9, 22.00: (1.35) MAN CITY (5.30) LEIPZIG (10.00)The fact that Messi has won the Champions League since then led to numerous discussions and views that the Argentine (in addition with Barca legends Xavi and Iniesta) was responsible for Guardiola’s competition success.There were even strong rumours the Messi could have been re-united with Pep at Etihad but eventually Messi ended up at Parc de Princes.Both Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain want to win their first Champions League trophy in club’s history. And they want it badly. It remains to be seen which one of the two teams will reach the furthest.
