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'I am always starving' - Guardiola unbowed as Man City deal with Champions League fall-out

Pep Guardiola says he is always "starving" for success after Manchester City's dramatic Champions League exit, with the Spaniard unbowed following their capitulation to Real Madrid in this month's semi-final.

The Citizens were denied a second successive final appearance after a madcap finale at Santiago Bernabeu that saw Los Blancos score twice in the dying seconds to force extra-time and a subsequent winner from Karim Benzema to knock them out.

Coupled with last year's Champions League heartbreak against Chelsea, City remain stymied in their pursuit of European glory - but Guardiola insists he cannot leave until the job is done and he is satisfied.

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What has Guardiola said about his hunger for glory?

"No," Guardiola responded when asked if defeat made him hungrier for triumph. "Always, I am starving. I cannot live one year thinking what my happiness will be. I know the people outside of here demand just Champions League, Champions League, Champions League. We know it. I cannot leave. Right now I cannot leave.

"Because when we win the Champions League, and hopefully we do it, it will because of the money we spend. Never will it be for the work done behind, that’s normal. The money we spend and don’t win the Champions League. We are the only club in the world in the last 10, 15 or 20 years that just spend money. When with that it’s difficult to win it.

"But what we lived in Madrid, it will help us a club, as a team in the future. People now don’t realise but I tell you, it’s good for us. The worst is to not live it. I would love to win the Champions League, to be in the final in Paris, to live that it we will be better in the future. But we’re not going to change."

What is Guardiola and Man City's CL record?

A multiple winner during his time in charge of Barcelona, success in Europe's biggest competition has proven elusive for Guardiola since he took the reins at the Etihad Stadium.

What has become something of a trend however is dramatic exits from the competition, with 2021's loss to Chelsea arguably the most mundane of their memorable defeats.

Their loss to Madrid this year carries echoes of 2017's exit to Monaco and 2019's reverse against Tottenham, with City blowing first leg leads on both occasions to slip out of competition - marking last year's loss in Portugal the only time they have made the final.

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