Guardiola says Champions League ultimate test after Lyon draw

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the Champions League poses a tougher challenge than any other competition after his side salvaged a 2-2 draw at Lyon on Tuesday to qualify for the knockout phase.

The Premier League leaders clinched a place in the last 16 for the sixth season in a row as headers from Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Aguero helped City twice recover after falling behind to goals from Maxwel Cornet.

City need a point from their final game at home to eliminated Hoffenheim to secure top spot in Group F, although they were fortunate to avoid a second defeat by Lyon -- the only team to score more than once against them this season.

"Today the Champions League showed me again that it's another different competition and especially for one reason. The players are better," said Guardiola.

"That's why every time we think about the Champions League and people say it's easy for Manchester City, they are really confused about this.

"Words are words. The people who say this never saw a game of Lyon, a game of Hoffenheim, or a game of Shakhtar."
"They're strong and they have vision. The people in front -- (Memphis) Depay, (Nabil) Fekir...it's a team that's well organised but that's typical in the Champions League."
- 'Proud' Genesio -
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"But there's also a bit of frustration that we didn't qualify tonight. There wasn't much in it, here or in Hoffenheim."