Pep Guardiola points out 'the problem' with new Champions League format as Man City edge into play-offs with victory over Brugge

Club Brugge earned a half-time lead against City at the Etihad Stadium on the final league phase matchday to put the Premier League champions on the brink of elimination. However, second-half goals from Matteo Kovacic and Savinho on either side of Joel Ordonez's own-goal gave City the win to secure their place in the playoff round for the knockout stages.

Guardiola has praised the new format of the Champions League for the excitement that it has produced, however, the Catalan tactician also pointed out the 'problem' of the increased number of games teams have to play. Guardiola also opened up on Manchester City's potential clash against either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the playoff round as he hyped up the Cityzens' new signings.

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: "I like, as a spectator, how many things, nobody's sure, important teams can be out, and it's nice. The problem is we play more games in September, October, November... in the future important teams will maybe live what we live this season. We were 45 minutes from being out... nothing is for granted.

"Sometimes you are winning 2-0 or 3-0 and you are scared to lose what you are winning, and when you are 1-0 down, you're out of the Champions League with nothing to do... in the right moment we find the goals. It's been a really really tough group, new format stage, really really hard because the game against Inter Milan we play really good, and especially Feyenoord. But we did it, we are there, in two weeks we will be better than we are right now because new players come back, new signings. Against these two giants, one of them we're going to play, and we'll see what happens, how we arrive."

Manchester City's season has gone terribly so far, with the Premier League title already seemingly out of reach. Nonetheless, Guardiola will be keen to sort out the situation and potentially still deliver silverware in the Champions League and FA Cup.