Pep Guardiola has reacted to Manchester City's 4-0 drubbing of Real Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final, a result that has set up a final against Inter Milan.
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Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, many would not have expected the total dominance the Citizens displayed in the reverse fixture on Wednesday night.
A first-half brace from Bernardo Silva and second-half goals from Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez cemented City's place in the final in Istanbul next month, a performance considered by many to be one of their best of the 2022/23 campaign.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola suggested his players seemed to go into the game with a point to prove following last year's disappointment.
"I had the feeling we had one year of pain in our stomach. What happened last season, today went out," he said, according to France24.
"It was so painful last season, when people said these players lacked character and in one year we've shown again how special this group of players is.
"I say congratulations to all our organisation, our chairman, our owner, until the last person because they work with a real purpose and we are there!"
Guardiola was then asked if he would say his team's display at the Etihad was one of the most impressive since his arrival in 2016.
"Yes definitely. We just had to win one game, be ourselves," he added.
"Madrid, what a team, but we wanted to win. What happened last season happened. We didn't have the luck. But today we had the feeling that the people were ready.
"The players made a lot of jokes, I didn't feel tension and I had the feeling we were ready to give this performance."
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City will now take on Inter in the final on 10 June at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
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