Pep Guardiola has insisted that success or failure to win the treble with Manchester City will have no impact on his "exceptional" legacy at the Etihad Stadium ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid.
The Catalan boss has almost served seven years in charge of the Citizens and has enjoyed plenty of domestic success, winning four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup and two Community Shields.
Man City are on the cusp of clinching a third successive top-flight title this term and they also have a FA Cup final to look forward to next month, but European glory still eludes the Citizens who are competing at the semi-final stage of the Champions League for the third consecutive year.
Guardiola, meanwhile, lifted the Champions League for the first time in his managerial career with Barcelona in their treble-winning 2008-09 season, before claiming the top European prize in club football for a second time two years later.
The 52-year-old has not tasted Champions League success since, though, failing to win the trophy during a three-year stint with Bayern Munich and in the first six seasons at Man City – coming closest to glory in 2020-21 when the Citizens lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final.
Nevertheless, Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious managers of the modern era having had a significant influence at the highest level of the beautiful game over the last 15 years.
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With treble-chasing Man City entering an important period in their season, Guardiola has insisted that success or failure in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup will not define his legacy at the Etihad.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of their semi-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid, Guardiola said: "My legacy is already exceptional! We have been here many times already, we are not stupid to know how important tomorrow is. Maybe the most important since we've been here.
"I say to the players, live it, enjoy the moment. How fortunate we are. It's in our hands, depends on us, we don't have to do anything exceptional. Be ourselves, give everything. I have an incredible feeling about the team. Whatever happens, thank you for bringing us here to be again.
"My legacy: there has been a great generation of players that has been here. My legacy: maybe we could have a book about it one day but you won't be judged on whether we won the Champions League or not.
"The legacy is we had a great time and played great football and the best legacy you can have is you have performed well and played well."
Guardiola added: "After the first season, first I wouldn't expect [the success I have had in] seven years. I have incredible self-confidence but not enough. This league is really tough. How pleased I am, this consistency is always there."
The Man City boss has also reiterated that there was never any pressure from the club's owners to win the Champions League when he arrived in the summer of 2016, but he has acknowledged that he and his players are striving for success in Europe's elite club competition having fallen short in previous years.
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"When I arrive here, they didn't say win the Champions League. They said try to do the best as possible," said Guardiola. "We won all the titles except this one. We want it. Losing against Chelsea, [Real] Madrid (in the semi-finals last season), of course we want it. This is what we want, people say we are close, I think we are far away.
"It is a dream come true to come here. Nobody guarantees in the future we'll be here. Once we are there, let's go. Try to go for it, be together in the bad moments, suffer, we play with our people."
A stunning strike from Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out an equally excellent opener from Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior to help the Citizens rescue a 1-1 first-leg draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last week, and a victory at the Etihad on Wednesday would book their place in the final against either Inter Milan or AC Milan.
Guardiola has urged his side to improve on their first-leg performance, adding: "The emotion is there and has to be high, but just this won't beat a team like Madrid. We have to adjust something, do it a little better to create chances for our strikers and people up front to get more balls, transitions, the quality they have in all departments.
"We play in the semi-final of the Champions League and we expect the toughest opponents, this is the challenge, we embrace it and go for it. We arrive really good, we're in the FA Cup final, one game from the Premier League, but we have to play better than Madrid.
"We have to perform well, not just the desire. Relax, only have to do what we have done for many years. This is what we have to do, not just the desire to reach the final. We have to be better than the Bernabeu to get the final."
Man City, who will be without defender Nathan Ake on Wednesday, have lost two of their previous three semi-final ties in the Champions League to Real Madrid, but they boast an impressive 25-game unbeaten home run in the competition, including five victories this season by an aggregate score of 20-2.
Oliver Thomas
