Manchester City ‘exhausted’ ahead of FA Cup semi-final, says Pep Guardiola
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Manchester City's Erling Braut Haaland scores their first goal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MUNICH – Manchester City players are exhausted ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United at Wembley, manager Pep Guardiola said, after his side knocked Bayern Munich out of the Champions League on Wednesday.
City’s 1-1 draw with Bayern in the second leg of their quarter-final in Munich secured a 4-1 win on aggregate that assured them a semi-final spot in Europe’s elite club competition for a third successive season.
They will face Real Madrid in the last four after the Spanish giants beat Chelsea 4-0 on aggregate.
Guardiola’s side are also chasing the Premier League title, sitting four points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
“The team is exhausted, so I don’t know how we are going to recover to play against Sheffield United because we play on Saturday,” the City boss told BT Sport.
“It’s so demanding, so I don’t know how we will arrive because now is a tough moment for the game on Saturday.”
City’s in-form striker Erling Haaland, who had a goal and an assist in the 3-0 first-leg win, was once again on the scoresheet on Wednesday.
The Norwegian missed a first-half penalty but muscled his way upfield midway through the second half, lashing past Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer for his 48th goal in 41 appearances this season.
The home side had a second-half goal struck off for offside and scored a late penalty through Joshua Kimmich, but were again haunted by their inability to make possession and chances count on the scoreboard.
City once again will face Real, who scored goals in the 90th and 91st minute at the same stage last season to spectacularly turn the tie their way en route to winning the title.
“What we have done is incredible – three Champions League semi-finals,” Guardiola added.
“I think all the clubs around the world had the feeling that if you want to win the competition, you have to beat Real Madrid. Before it was Barcelona, now it’s Real Madrid.”
Haaland’s penalty miss was only his third from 36 attempts, and his first for City.
He made up for his error in the 57th minute when he burst away from Dayot Upamecano, who slipped, and blasted the ball past Sommer and into the goal to cap off a quick City counter-attack.
Bayern had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute but French teenager Mathys Tel’s goal was ruled out for offside.
With seven minutes left, Kimmich converted a consolation goal from the spot after a Manuel Akanji handball.
The winner of the City-Real tie will face either AC Milan or Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on June 10.
Despite the defeat, Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel insisted there was “no difference in class” between his side and City.
“It’s actually a difference in self-confidence and in form,” said the former Chelsea manager.
“We played against the best team in Europe today, the most in-form team in Europe. But we played completely on the same level, (but) in either game we didn’t have even a tiny bit of luck.
“For the little we allowed (City) to do, we were brutally punished.” REUTERS, AFP
