Pep Guardiola says Manchester City are ‘not used to doing these things’ after his side won at Real Madrid for the first time to take control of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Isco had put Real ahead but a Gabriel Jesus strike and a Kevin de Bruyne penalty secured a 2-1 first-leg win. It is the first time City have won at a major European team in the knockout stage of the competition.
“To win at the Bernabeu is a great satisfaction for us,” Guardiola said. “It is amazing to be able to win here for us because we are not used to doing these things. We hope it will help us in the future to believe in ourselves and to be able to go to any stadium and play the way we did against Real.”
Manchester City’s only previous away wins in the Champions League knockout stages were against Dynamo Kiev, Basel and Schalke
Guardiola’s side are hoping to win the Champions League for the first time, having progressed as far as the semi-finals only once before.
Real Madrid are the most successful side in the competition’s history - winning it 13 times - and Guardiola accepts that the tie is far from over.
“It’s just the first part, it’s not three points,” said the manager, whose side will host Real for the second leg on 17 March. “If one team can overcome this situation, for experience, for everything, it is this club, but of course it is a good result. I am so proud of course but it is just the first step, we have another game, it is not over.”
The only negative for Manchester City on Wednesday was the loss of Aymeric Laporte to injury.
The defender was playing in only his fourth match since recovering from a serious knee problem but limped off midway through the first half.
“He’s had four or five months out and it’s a problem when you come back,” Guardiola said. “He came back in this demanding game and we wanted him to be fit to the end. With John [Stones], Nico [Otamendi], Eric [Garcia], Fernandinho, we can get through.”
