Abu Dhabi: Manchester City must be more consistent to be considered among Europe’s elite, according to Citizens midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Pep Guardiola’s side are 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League with eight games remaining and could wrap up the title at home to city-rivals Manchester United on April 7 — provided they first beat Everton away on March 31.
In the Champions League though — where their previous best finish was the semi-finals before a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in 2016 — they have the chance to return to the last four if they beat Liverpool in the quarters.
“This is just the beginning and we are still on the road, and an important way, to come into the elite teams of Europe,” said the 27-year-old German on the sidelines of a City training session at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
“I wouldn’t say we are there yet, we need to compete with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus, the biggest teams.”
Asked how they would bridge that gap, Gundogan, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund for £20 million (Dh102.5 million) in June 2016, replied: “First of all I think it’s consistency. This season we were very successful but it’s worth nothing if you’re not in the big games come the end of the season. At this point, our situation in the Premier League is comfortable and the big games at the moment are in the Champions League.
“We need to be able to show we are able to be there in these special games. When we play at the Santiago Bernabeu, Nou Camp or in Munich, it’s about personality, having the right attitude, mentality and also the courage to be successful in these big games.
“This is something still a little bit missing but we didn’t have the opportunity in the past to show that, so now feels like it’s the right moment and this is what we need to show.
“I was lucky enough to play the 2013 final with Dortmund. Unfortunately, we lost [against Bayern] so I can’t wait to come back and win it this time and that is the main target.”
Gundogan’s short stay at City so far has already been punctuated by a nine-month injury lay-off after he tore his cruciate ligaments halfway through his first season. He returned at the beginning of this season, and is now desperate to make up for lost time.
“Of course it feels great to be back and part of the team to play my own individual role on the pitch with the lads and I’m enjoying it. It’s a very happy period of my life and career again, I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the past, so it feels great to be back training and playing.
“I’m trying to do everything to stay fit and trying to think about what the manager and staff want me to do to transport that into the team. I’ve tried to make my own impact over the last months and I’m still on my way, I feel I’m nearly already there.”
