Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola promises no surprise defeats in 'scary' Champions League quarter finals

The City manager believes the fear of elimination will prevent any more shock results like Basel's win at the Etihad

Pep Guardiola criticised his players for 'forgetting to play' in the second half (Getty)

Pep Guardiola promised that his Manchester City side will not suffer another surprise Champions League defeat in their “scary” quarter-final tie to come.

City progressed to the last eight on Wednesday night but only after a weakened side fell to a shock 2-1 defeat against Basel, their fourth reverse of the season and first at the Etihad in 459 days.

A place in the quarter finals was never in doubt thanks to the 4-0 first-leg victory in Switzerland three weeks ago, but City allowed Basel to capitalise on their complacency and record a famous win.

Guardiola assured supporters after the final whistle that the same would not happen in the next round, if only because the quality of opposition will mean his side are unlikely to begin the second leg with such a commanding lead.

“We had problems but we are in the quarter finals,” he said. “This kind of position is not going to happen in the quarter finals, where you have 4-0 from the first leg. When it’s scary to be out, the rhythm will be completely different.

“From tomorrow we will be happy to be in the quarter finals for second time in this club’s history, we are new in that position so we are so happy for that.”

City recorded 978 successful passes in defeat, the most by any side in a Champions League since records began, but Guardiola criticised his players for “forgetting to play” and passing for passing’s sake.

“The first half was quite good. Second half, we forgot to attack, we forgot to play,” he said. “Just to pass the ball means to pass the ball means to move the opponents to attack, but to just pass for itself is nothing and the second half was really, really poor.

“Maybe people will think the way we played today, we are not able to fight to go through. We will see, I understand. After we see the second half, people say that team does not deserve to fight for everything. But we are going to forget.

“This is the second time we reached quarter-finals in history, that is good news. After, we will see how we arrive in the quarter-finals.”

Guardiola will feel as though a full-strength City are capable of beating any side left in the competition, but the quality of those in the last-16 – let alone the last eight – prove no tie will be a simple task.

“We will see the draw,” he said. “The difference for example between Tottenham and Juventus, it’s quite similar. At that level, all the teams will be so tough, so demanding. We know we need to perform to compete in that situation but we will try to be ready.”