Pep Guardiola: You can’t play for just 45 minutes at this level

If they can keep Falcao and co relatively quiet on Wednesday, the tie will be theirs but then again it is easier said than done.

Guardiola, who takes charge of his 100th game in Europe on Wednesday, has no new injury concerns for the trip to Stade Louis II.

“We know they are very powerful team from midfield and attack, and their full-backs like to go forward”, he added. It’s a great win for the whole of France, we’re the last representatives, not for the first time.

“We are going to attack, we never do it the other way, we will attack and they will expect that as well”.

Without the in-form Toure in midfield, City only had Fernandinho to protect a back four that contained only one specialist centre-back in John Stones. “Best team in the world scoring goals”.

At the moment, City have a slight advantage but this is the UEFA Champions League and after a certain Spanish side’s heroics last week, nothing is impossible. We should have scored more.

Meanwhile, Monaco is joined in the last eight by Atletico Madrid that secured their place with a 4-2 aggregate win over Bayer Leverkusen after both sides played out goalless draw in the second leg in Madrid. “It’s the only way to beat a team like this”.

1 – Number of last-16 matches Guardiola had lost before Monaco loss, out of 15.

“Here, has to be the game”, Guardiola said, tapping his forehead twice to underline what his players need to bear in mind. “The way he’s working, the way his team is playing makes me want to study the games”. It’s an enormous joy, I didn’t expect it.

Monaco, though, have three away goals in their back pocket.

“I am not here for me I am here for a group of people to do it better”. Jardim knew his courageous troops would run out of steam eventually with so much energy being directed into their pressing game so they had to capitalise on those sort of moments when they could.

Jardim singled out Monaco’s dramatic quarter-final victory over Real Madrid 13 years ago as the reference point for his players.

“We have to congratulate them, they are through”. And set-pieces are so important at this level.

Guardiola captured the Champions League title with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011 but suffered three consecutive semi-final exits over the past three seasons with Bayern Munich.