Guardiola: Manchester City don't have a match-winner like Neymar, Mbappe, Messi or Ronaldo

Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City don't have a match-winning star like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Guardiola delivered the ninth trophy of his five-year reign at Etihad Stadium with a fourth successive Carabao Cup on Sunday, as City edged out Tottenham at Wembley thanks to a late goal from Aymeric Laporte.

The Spaniard will now prepare his team for their Champions League semi-final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, but has warned that they will have to be at their best as a collective to progress without a clear difference-maker.

What's been said?

Guardiola says PSG have two players capable of winning games on their own in Neymar and Mbappe, with City also deemed to be lacking such a superstar performer.

“We maybe don’t have a single player who is capable to win a game all on his own like Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé or Neymar," the City boss told Canal Plus. "But the average level of my players is so high that no replacement throws the team off balance.”

Guardiola did, however, reserve special praise for Kevin de Bruyne, who produced another masterful performance in midfield against Spurs on Sunday.

“When people ask me to speak about players, about their qualities, I always respond with the same thing: you just have to watch," he added.  "Turn your TV on and enjoy. Kevin, he is like a knife, we say in Spanish. When he decides to go for it, he sees passes and the game.”

City's potential path to European glory

PSG will welcome City to Parc des Princes for the first leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday night, with the reverse fixture at Etihad Stadium on May 4. Should Guardiola's men emerge victorious, they will be rewarded with a clash against either Real Madrid or Chelsea in the showpiece event at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

The bigger picture

City have the strength in depth to go on and win their first Champions League crown, but will have to combine attacking flair with great strength at the back in order to see off PSG.

Neymar and Mbappe inspired the French champions to their maiden final last season, and the pair have been equally impressive this season with the scalps of Barcelona and Bayern Munich having already been claimed.

However, City boasted the best defensive record in the competition during the group stages, and have only conceded two goals in the knockout rounds so far.

Further reading

• Guardiola confirms Garcia set for Barcelona move

• Guardiola: It's easier to win trophies at big clubs

• 'Everybody dreams of destroying the PL in Europe'