Pep Guardiola lifts lid on Man City squad atmosphere as season heats up

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City players are thriving on the pressure as the season reaches a thrilling climax. The Blues face Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, and then after the international break and a trip to Burnley, face a huge week which involved the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid wrapped around the Premier League showdown with Liverpool.

Guardiola says he is loving the challenge, and that his players are also lapping up the enormity of the upcoming games. Asked whether he still gets a kick out of being in the thick of things at this stage of the season, Guardiola smiled and said: “Absolutely.

You cannot imagine the canteen watching the (Champions League) draw together. “This is the moment we are here, go out to training joking about who we are going to face - the disappointment for some players, Rodri is happy to go back to Atletico Madrid and see his friends.

It's so nice. We fought since pre-season to arrive there and we are still there. It makes me happy. I know everyone wants to win the Premier League and Champions League but right now where we came from makes me so proud. ALSO READ:Guardiola exasperated by City motivation question “My expectations are so high but during the process I'm satisfied.