Pep Guardiola has extended his gratitude to long-time managerial rival Jose Mourinho after Manchester City dramatically secured their place in the Champions League knockout stages. The Cityzens' progression hinged on a remarkable late twist in Lisbon, where Mourinho's Benfica side produced a stunning victory over Real Madrid.
Nervous Wait at the Etihad
Manchester City had done their part on Wednesday evening, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium in their final league-phase fixture. Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki found the net, with the influential Jeremy Doku providing both assists before his unfortunate first-half departure through injury.
However, despite their own success, City's fate remained uncertain as they anxiously awaited results from other crucial matches across Europe. The Premier League champions initially appeared to be cruising into the top eight with relative ease, but late goals from Sporting Lisbon and Chelsea suddenly left them precariously positioned in eighth place.
Benfica's Dramatic Intervention
As the final whistle blew in Manchester, only Real Madrid remained capable of overtaking Guardiola's side. The Spanish giants required a victory against Benfica to leapfrog City, but Mourinho's Portuguese outfit had other plans in a truly extraordinary encounter.
Benfica, who had been facing elimination themselves until the dying moments, secured a breathtaking 4-2 triumph that included a remarkable stoppage-time goal from their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. This decisive fourth goal ultimately sealed both Benfica's own progression and Manchester City's passage to the last sixteen.
"We were all there watching in the dressing room," revealed Guardiola. "We didn't realise Benfica needed a goal to qualify themselves. When we saw the goalkeeper going forward, we were shouting 'why are you going? Stay in goal because Madrid could equalise!' After that moment, we thought we were out."
Guardiola's Tactical Praise
The City manager acknowledged Mourinho's strategic influence on the dramatic conclusion, suggesting the Portuguese tactician had orchestrated a masterstroke. "But it was good strategy from Jose, right? To score that fourth goal," Guardiola remarked with evident relief.
When directly questioned about whether he would send a message of thanks to his former La Liga adversary, Guardiola responded unequivocally: "Of course."
Avoiding the Play-Off Pitfall
This dramatic sequence of results means Manchester City successfully bypass the two-legged play-off round scheduled for February, a stage that proved their undoing in the previous campaign. Guardiola expressed considerable satisfaction at avoiding this additional hurdle in what he described as an increasingly formidable competition.
"There are many aspects we need to improve, but we're genuinely pleased to finish in the top eight, especially considering how tremendously challenging the Champions League has become," the Catalan manager explained. "When I began managing in this competition sixteen or seventeen years ago, it was a completely different tournament. Nowadays, every single team is exceptionally tough. We're relieved not to face an extra knockout stage, and hopefully we can reach our peak form by March."
Injury Concerns and Forward Momentum
The evening wasn't without concern for City, as Belgian winger Jeremy Doku was forced off with a calf problem during the first half. Guardiola remained uncertain about the exact duration of his absence but essentially ruled him out of Sunday's crucial Premier League encounter against Tottenham.
"Unfortunately, he won't be ready for several more days," Guardiola confirmed regarding Doku's availability.
On a more positive note, Erling Haaland ended his ten-game drought from open play with a well-taken finish. Guardiola praised his star striker's mental fortitude, noting: "I particularly admire that he missed one clear opportunity but then demonstrated tremendous composure with that exquisite touch. When players become anxious, they rarely produce such moments."
Manchester City will now face either Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bodo/Glimt, or Benfica in the next round of Europe's premier club competition, having navigated one of the most dramatic qualification scenarios in recent Champions League history.
