Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has no fears about getting sacked as his team continue to struggle for results.
The Citizens were not at their solid best at the weekend as they had to come from behind to beat League One side Leyton Orient 2-1.
Leyton fans were heard chanting ‘sacked in the morning’ in reference to Guardiola, under whose watch City have lost 11 of their last 25 competitive games.
The Spaniard however responded when asked by the press about his job security ahead of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoff first leg with Real Madrid: “I don’t know if a doctor will be asked about his position. I know in some stadiums they say that ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ but I don’t have that feeling.
“Obviously I am here, I am still here because of what we have won in previous seasons, if not I probably wouldn’t be here but that’s the relationship that we have.
“If things don’t work we’ll shake hands and move on, but I don’t think I’m going to be thrown out on the street.”
Tuesday’s encounter will be the ninth meeting between Real Madrid and Man City in the Champions League knockout phase, since the 2019-20 season, with the two sides progressing twice. When asked if it was the biggest rivalry of this era, Guardiola said: “In terms of the last decade yeah, maybe, because it’s not normal to play the same rival all the time.
“In terms of history, Champions League, at the end we cannot compare to be honest against Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or AC Milan. This kind of group.
“In the last decade, we have been around. In the last years, the draw, we play against them.”
Further reflecting on the crunch tie at the Etihad Stadium, the former Barcelona boss said: “We play the second game away because we were not good enough in the group stage. We didn’t deserve it [to go straight through to the last 16].
“The team, our team, has something special and hopefully tomorrow we can prove it.”
The second leg takes place at the Santiago Bernabeu next Tuesday, with the winner from the tie progressing into the round of 16 proper.
Afrosport
