Pep Guardiola has promised to thank Jose Mourinho after Benfica’s dramatic win over Real Madrid helped Manchester City secure a top-eight finish in the Champions League and avoid the play-offs.
City did their part with a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium, with goals from Erling Haaland and Ryan Cherki. However, their position still depended on the result in Madrid.
That changed when Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in stoppage time to seal a 4-2 win for Mourinho’s side, a result that ensured City stayed in the top eight.
Asked if he would reach out to Mourinho, Guardiola said:
“Yeah, of course. We were all there (in the dressing room), and we didn’t know Benfica need a goal to qualify.
“So when their goalkeeper goes up, we said, ‘why you go’? But it was a good strategy for Jose. Finishing in the top eight, considering how the Champions League has become, every team is really really tough, so we are really pleased. Hopefully we can arrive in March in our best form.”