´Privileged´ Guardiola has no Champions League fear

Pep Guardiola is adamant he has no fear ahead of Bayern Munich’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Juventus, describing it as a privilege to be involved in Europe’s premier competition.

This will be Guardiola’s last chance to win Europe’s top prize with Bayern as he will leave for Manchester City at the end of the season.

In his two previous campaigns, Guardiola – who won the Champions League twice as coach of Barcelona – has seen Bayern fall at the semi-final stage.

But Guardiola, whose side let a two-goal lead slip to draw the first leg with Juve 2-2, insists the pressure to succeed is part of the job.

“I’ve never been afraid of a Champions League game,” he said. “I’m privileged to be here. It’s a huge battle, a final for both teams. 

“If we win, we are happy. If we don’t, we think about what we can do better. It’s how a great club works. 

“I know what will happen if we don’t win the competition. I accept the pressure and the role.”

On Bayern’s surprise collapse in the first leg against last season’s finalists, Guardiola added: “That’s football, it happens.

“But that is in the past. We talked with the players about what we have to do to win the game.”

Juventus are without influential duo Paulo Dybala and Claudio Marchisio at the Allianz Arena, but Guardiola warned that Massimiliano Allegri’s men still pose a huge threat.

“It’s Juventus. It’s the same strong team,” he said. “I know the Italian mindset. It will be the same with or without Dybala and Marchisio.”