Pep Guardiola expects to be labeled a “failure” if Manchester City doesn’t reach the semifinals of the Champions League for the fifth straight year since he joined the English club.
City holds a 2-1 lead over Borussia Dortmund heading into the second leg of the quarterfinals on Wednesday, so the team has its best chance yet of reaching the semifinals for the first time under Guardiola.
The Spanish coach hasn’t won the competition — or even reached the final — since capturing the second of his titles with Barcelona in 2011, with critics blaming him for overthinking his tactics in the big knockout matches at not only City but when in charge of Bayern Munich from 2013-16.