Pep Guardiola insists that Manchester City won’t sit back against Bayern Munich

Manchester City will not sit back on Wednesday night. A three-goal lead perhaps, but Pep Guardiola knows how things are in the Allianz Arena.

When they relinquish ground early, Bayern Munich are suddenly alive and well, putting City’s third successive Champions League semi-final in jeopardy. Guardiola wants them to attack in a measured way, not simply hold on to what they have.

That message is likely to be followed up by a team that, if they make progress on Wednesday, will slowly move closer to a serious talk over the Treble after winning their last 10 games in all competitions, scoring 37 goals in the process.

They are barely recognizable from those criticized by captain Ilkay Gundogan for lacking the right attitude and desire following a defeat at Southampton in January.

“We’ve had talks, but everything that happened was mainly on the pitch,” Gundogan said. ‘You feel it click on the field. Maybe until Southampton in the Cup it didn’t feel like it clicked 100 per cent. Sometimes it just clicks and you know it’s the right choice. Now it feels perfect for everyone.’

City tore up the German champions in the first leg at the Etihad earlier in April

Not a bad time to make that happen. On Tuesday night Thomas Tuchel called City the ‘benchmark’ across Europe and yet this trophy is still elusive. Guardiola insisted they can learn nothing from past experience, although Gundogan seemed the opposite.

“Being so close has increased the desire,” Gundogan said. “The further you get, the greater the hunger to win.”

It could be Gündogan’s last chance on the biggest podium. Expiring contract in June and with great interest from Barcelona, ​​the German confirmed last night that he is yet to make a decision. Part of that has to do with his own body.

My physical condition [plays a part],’ he added. “There are conversations in the background. They will continue, nothing has been decided yet.’ Guardiola has stated that he desperately wants him to stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Ilkay Gundogan says City’s desire for Champions League glory has increased

“We’ve been together for seven years. it was great, we won a lot together and to hear things like that of course brings me joy and a smile.’

For now, in the night, City needs Gundogan’s calm. This can become an easy task, but can change dramatically.

“We are here on business,” Guardiola said. “We are here to win. Handle the emotions. We need solidarity as a big team. I didn’t say to the team, “Watch out, it’s Bayern Munich,” because they’re not relaxed, they know that. When you are yourself, you are closer to what you are looking for. We are reaching a level that is quite interesting for us. The players want it.’

Compare that with Tuchel. This place didn’t feel like home to a European powerhouse last night. Tuchel’s pragmatism felt so real it bordered on self-destruction.

“We need a miracle, a miracle,” he said. ‘It would be a miracle. It’s a huge mountain to climb and that’s why we have to believe in ourselves, but we don’t want to be dreamers. Dreaming is always close to sleeping for me.

“Just looking at the top of this huge mountain makes you feel overwhelmed. The challenge is hard enough, we don’t need to make it harder.’

Although he laid it thick, Tuchel was right. The background is not good for a club he took over only a few weeks ago, with Sadio Mane beating Leroy Sane in the first leg.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel admits his team lacks confidence at the moment

Guardiola questioned whether the altercation, which saw Mane fined more than £250,000, would boost a team in need of a lift, even though the attacker’s other penalty – a one match ban – was to watch an acid 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim.

“I was hoping we would use it against Hoffenheim, which we obviously didn’t,” said Tuchel. “I know what he means – this energy in the dressing room shows the determination and that the players are not happy, players are angry, at themselves, at each other, which is also a form of energy.

“It was too much, but still I see the point that Pep mentioned. We thought we turned the momentum around to use it as positive energy in our last game, and that didn’t happen. There was no spark. Something is missing, there doesn’t seem to be enough self-confidence. We think too much.

“Now it’s different talking to the players, you don’t have to talk about faith. You have to be realistic. I don’t know if we are talking about a 4-0 [win] appropriate, I don’t know.’