Pep Guardiola is already entering his seventh season as manager of Manchester City after four seasons with Barcelona and another three at Bayern Munich. Guardiola says he is motivated by the desire to get better each rather than finally winning the Champions League for City.

“To improve the team and play better. This is the main thing for me. The only thing I’m here for is to make the team play better, and the players individually to play better … to watch the team on the touchline and say: ‘I like it.’”

Asked whether he would leave if he wins the Champions League with City, Guardiola said: “My life is not dependent on that. Of course I would like to win it. Yes, it’s a dream or a target to do it. I am aware how good the opponents are and how difficult the competition is.

“I have said so many times and so people might not believe me, that I am making an excuse. People say: ‘No, I’m here to win it,’ but I didn’t come here to win the Champions League. They didn’t ask me. Of course they want it and I’m the first to want it but it was the same with Munich. I won it twice with Barcelona. I want to win all four. If I am a manager for 30 or 40 years I want to win the Champions League every season.”