MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola has praised his side following their dominant 4-0 win over Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium last night.
Guardiola’s side crushed the holders to advance 5-1 on aggregate to the UEFA Champions League final, where they will face Inter Milan in June.
Real Madrid eliminated City at the same semi-final stage last season after scoring two last-gasp goals in regulation time and another in extra-time in the second leg, and Guardiola is pleased he has gained some revenge.
“At home we feel incredibly comfortable with our people. I had a feeling we had one year of pain in our stomach with what happened last season,” the Spaniard told BT Sport.
“Today went out everything we had. It was so painful last season. When people say the lack of character of these players, we showed how special this group are.”
Having come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid last week, City were on another level last night at home and could have scored much more than four but for the excellent Thibaut Courtois in Real Madrid’s goal.
Courtois denied Erling Haaland with three magnificent saves but could not stop Bernardo Silva from netting twice and substitute Julian Alvarez from a stoppage time strike after Eder Militao’s own goal.
Guardiola said his players stuck to his plans to run rings around the 14-time champions.
“They showed commitment in our intensity. The players were outstanding. In these types of games Bernardo is always there. He is one of the best players I have ever seen in my life,” the former Barcelona boss noted.
“I said many times we don’t have to come back from 3-0 down. Just have to win one game and be ourselves. We had a feeling that people were ready.
“We were calm mentally. I didn’t feel tension or anxiousness. I had a feeling that today we were ready to do the performance.”
The final is scheduled for Istanbul, Turkey on June 10, with City hunting for their first title against three-time winners Inter Milan.
