Luciano Spalletti has pushed back on Pep Guardiola's claim Napoli are the best team in Europe right now, claiming the comments are "a game to build us up, so they can knock us down".

The Partenopei booked their first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals after a comfortable 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the last-16 second leg.

With an 18-point lead at the summit of Serie A to boot, Spalletti's side seem primed for silverware regardless, and City boss Guardiola suggested they are the team to beat.

Spalletti, however, feels the Catalan coach is only saying as much in order to take the advantage in the mental tussle ahead of Friday's last-eight draw, with both teams in the mix to meet.

"I don't feel proud, I don't feel anything," he told Amazon Prime Italia. "I know this game that everyone does to put pressure on the others.

"Are we putting Napoli in front of Manchester City? If they can spend €900m compared to our €9m, there must be a reason. It's a game to build us up, so they can knock us down."

City booked their place in the quarter-finals with a ruthless result of their own, notching a 7-0 second leg victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Napoli meanwhile join rivals Milan and Inter in the last-eight, marking the first time three Italian teams have reached the stage since the 2005-06 campaign.

Spalletti urged supporters to enjoy the moment, but insisted his team cannot get carried away as they look to make further history in Europe this season.

"It is a great result, [and] we are going to enjoy it along with all our fans," he added. "Now it becomes fundamental that we maintain the same attitude.

"If Napoli in the entire history of this club had not reached the quarter-finals before, that means this is a great result."

Luciano Spalletti has pushed back on Pep Guardiola's claim Napoli are the best team in Europe right now, claiming the comments are "a game to build us up, so they can knock us down".

The Partenopei booked their first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals after a comfortable 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the last-16 second leg.

With an 18-point lead at the summit of Serie A to boot, Spalletti's side seem primed for silverware regardless, and City boss Guardiola suggested they are the team to beat.

Spalletti, however, feels the Catalan coach is only saying as much in order to take the advantage in the mental tussle ahead of Friday's last-eight draw, with both teams in the mix to meet.

"I don't feel proud, I don't feel anything," he told Amazon Prime Italia. "I know this game that everyone does to put pressure on the others.

"Are we putting Napoli in front of Manchester City? If they can spend €900m compared to our €9m, there must be a reason. It's a game to build us up, so they can knock us down."

City booked their place in the quarter-finals with a ruthless result of their own, notching a 7-0 second leg victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Napoli meanwhile join rivals Milan and Inter in the last-eight, marking the first time three Italian teams have reached the stage since the 2005-06 campaign.

Spalletti urged supporters to enjoy the moment, but insisted his team cannot get carried away as they look to make further history in Europe this season.

"It is a great result, [and] we are going to enjoy it along with all our fans," he added. "Now it becomes fundamental that we maintain the same attitude.

"If Napoli in the entire history of this club had not reached the quarter-finals before, that means this is a great result."

Manchester City may have progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals after a 7-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig but it was their local rivals who got one over on Pep Guardiola.

Erling Haaland was the leading light with five goals as City secured an 8-1 aggregate victory over Leipzig but it was Guardiola's post-match comments that caught the eye.

The City manager revealed he will always feel like a "failure" after he failed to meet one of his idols – Hollywood A-lister Julia Roberts – when she came to visit Manchester in 2016. 

In a bizarre twist to his press conference, Guardiola explained his hurt over the fact Roberts had slept with the enemy.

"She came in the period when we were better than United, these four or five years," he said.

"And she went to visit Man United. She didn't come to see us.

"So, even if I win the Champions League, it cannot compare to the fact Julia Roberts came to Manchester and did not come to see us. My idol." 

United were quick to remind Guardiola of the fact on Wednesday, with a post on social media showing photos of Roberts' visit to Old Trafford in 2016. 

The caption read: "Throwing it back to when Julia Roberts visited Old Trafford."

Roberts visited the Theatre of Dreams in November 2016 though United were unable to hook three points in her presence, only managing to draw 1-1 with West Ham.

She then met players from the squad with her children after the game. 

Pep Guardiola believes he will always be a "failure" in the Champions League, but his biggest regret relates to Hollywood actress Julia Roberts.

Guardiola's Manchester City are into the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition for a sixth straight season following an 8-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig that included five Erling Haaland goals in the 7-0 second-leg success.

Tuesday's performance was the kind that again establishes City as contenders, although they are yet to win the Champions League, losing in the final in 2021.

Guardiola's last European title was as Barcelona coach, coming up short with both Bayern Munich and City, yet he explained how missing out on a visit from Pretty Woman star Roberts puts this disappointment into perspective.

"I'm a failure in the Champions League, I'm sorry," he said. "I'm going to explain a secret. Whatever happens this year in the Champions League, even if we win this Champions League or win three in a row, I will be a failure.

"I have three idols in my life: Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Julia Roberts. These are my three idols. For obvious reasons, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods deserve it, and Julia Roberts as well.

"Julia Roberts, years ago, came to Manchester. Not in the 1990s, when Alex Ferguson win titles, titles, titles and titles. She came in the period when we were better than United, these four or five years.

"And she went to visit Man United. She didn't come to see us. So, even if I win the Champions League, it cannot compare to the fact Julia Roberts came to Manchester and did not come to see us. My idol.

"That's why no matter what happens, even if I win the Champions League, it will not make up for the disappointment I had."

Pep Guardiola explained why Erling Haaland will not be the difference between Manchester City's previous Champions League failures and a first title.

City have been repeatedly frustrated in the Champions League but are through to the quarter-finals for a sixth straight year after dominating RB Leipzig, led by Haaland.

The City number nine hit five on Tuesday in a 7-0 second-leg win in the last 16, securing an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Haaland broke a series of records in the process, including moving to 39 goals for the season – a new club record.

But these unprecedented goalscoring feats will not be enough to make City champions of Europe if they do not defend better than in previous seasons, Guardiola insisted.

Asked if Haaland's involvement could be pivotal, the City manager told BT Sport: "I don't think so. The reason why is we conceded a lot of goals that we gave to the opponent.

"We scored four goals against Real Madrid, we scored six goals against Monaco, we scored four goals against Tottenham, and all the time we were out, because we conceded the goals. We could absolutely avoid it.

"Right now, we defended really well. The goals we have scored all the time in all the seasons.

"But of course having someone like Erling, like Julian [Alvarez], like we had with Sergio [Aguero] before or Gabriel [Jesus], who has the instinct to score the goals... in this competition, in one moment, he can score. It's important."

Haaland scored five goals from eight shots, all of which hit the target, before being substituted with 27 minutes to play, denied the chance to become the first man to net a double hat-trick in the Champions League.

"It was five in 60 minutes, no more than that. If he played 90 minutes... I don't know," Guardiola said.

"He's an incredible guy. He has the power, the mentality, he's a serial winner."

Erling Haaland's five-goal masterclass fired Manchester City into the Champions League quarter-finals as they dismantled RB Leipzig in a 7-0 rout on Tuesday.

The striker nabbed a first-half hat-trick, including two goals in two minutes, before adding another two after the restart in a tour-de-force performance at the Etihad Stadium for a 8-1 aggregate victory.

Now with 39 goals for the season, Haaland's haul saw him take Tommy Johnson's single-season City record set in 1928-29 among a series of new high marks as Pep Guardiola's hosts tied their record margin of victory in European competition.

Also the youngest and fastest player to pass 30 Champions League goals, Haaland's historic numbers befitted a majestic display up front, with his latest turn destined to go down in European folklore no matter what happens next.

Haaland was handed a stroke of luck for his first, with City awarded a dubious penalty by referee Slavko Vincic for a handball strongly protested by Benjamin Henrichs.

He ruthlessly converted from the spot, however, and then doubled his tally just moments later when he nodded home a rebound after Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar.

A first-half hat-trick followed with an air of inevitability when Haaland pounced on a parried Ruben Dias header before the break to bundle in the third from close range.

Ilkay Gundogan ensured another name at least got on the scoresheet when he added City's fourth with a sweeping low finish four minutes after the restart.

Yet the game belonged to Haaland, who added another two with close-range strikes before the hour, both times pouncing after Manuel Akanji was denied.

Haaland's exit in the 63rd minute was greeted with a standing ovation, denying him an unprecedented double hat-trick but saving the City striker ahead of a quarter-final in which further records could fall.

The scoring was not quite over, though, as De Bruyne would not be denied and added a sublime seventh in stoppage time for a final touch of gloss.

Pep Guardiola admitted his time at Manchester City will be judged on Champions League success, despite remaining in the hunt for three trophies this season.

Five points behind Arsenal in the hunt for the Premier League title, City face Burnley on Saturday in the FA Cup quarter-finals as the push for a potential treble continues.

Before that, City's focus will be on their European campaign, with their last-16 tie with RB Leipzig delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Last month, Riyad Mahrez's opening goal was cancelled out by Josko Gvardiol's second-half equaliser, leaving everything to play for at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

City stand as the favourites for many to go all the way in the Champions League this season, though they have fallen short in previous campaigns when shouldering such expectations.

While Guardiola has won a plethora of honours during his time with the club, he conceded he will be judged on whether he can deliver long-awaited Champions League glory.

"Yes," he replied when asked if that was the case at the pre-match press conference, "It doesn't mean I agree with that, but absolutely we will be judged by this competition.

"Every team at this stage has a lot of qualities and many strengths. Tomorrow, we have to impose our game and do what we have to do. We have to win the game, so it is easy.

"It is not about how many goals we have to score; it is just to win the game - that is what we have to do."

Though others will look to the Champions League as the be-all and end-all for City, Guardiola outlined the importance of competing in three competitions at this stage of the season.

"It's really important to be alive for the last few months of the season, so you do as much as you can to extend the chance to be in the competitions, to still be in Europe, or in the Premier League, to be close to Arsenal," he said.

"I don't know any team, manager or player who plays in a competition and tries not to win. I've never met anyone like that. Everyone wants to win, there's no exception here."

Kevin de Bruyne downplayed any suggestion of issues within the team and a decline in form for Manchester City's star striker Erling Haaland.

Haaland has been in sensational form in his debut campaign with the club, scoring 34 goals in all appearances across all competitions.

However, the Norway international has scored just three goals in his last nine appearances, leading to suggestions that his performance levels have dropped.

De Bruyne does not see it that way though, explaining that teams are more prepared to face him now than they were at the beginning of the season.

"I think it's a bit of everything but I don't feel like it's different than in the beginning," he told a press conference ahead of the Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.

"People are maybe more anticipating to his runs, there's always the first part of the season and then the second part. In the second part, I feel teams are a lot more organised, they play for more from both sides of the table, so people are more prepared in every sense of the way.

"Maybe he was a little bit more prolific [before] when he got the chances but I don't think we need to complain about Erling's output. I think he's fine.

 

"If we see the Crystal Palace game, he could have scored two, I don't think there's any issue but obviously people are always anticipating for him to score two or three goals but his average is a goal a game. It seems fine for me.

"It's good to have different options. In the past few years, people would maybe say there wasn't enough presence in the box and there wasn't enough deep runs, now people are saying the opposite.

"It works in different ways. In the beginning of the season when everything was going in, we were winning a lot of games and nothing was going wrong, but then obviously when you lose a few points it's different.

"I don't think there's an issue with anything going out from the team or with Erling. I know people will judge on how we play and maybe we sometimes play a better brand of football in different games or in other years but that happens.

"Crystal Palace at home for instance, he won us the game. I think the team is really happy with him, he's really happy playing with us, so I think we're fine."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Arsenal's long Premier League title wait is helping them score late goals and insists the Gunners are still favourites for the domestic crown.

Arsenal's 3-0 win at Fulham on Sunday meant they restored their five-point lead over second-placed City with 11 games to play.

The Gunners' latest win was more routine in comparison to the recent 3-2 triumph over Bournemouth where Reiss Nelson netted a 97th-minute winner, or last month's thrilling come-from-behind 4-2 victory at Aston Villa.

Guardiola argued Arsenal's long drought for a Premier League title, having not claimed the honour since 2003-04, was fuelling their belief late in games.

On the contrary, the Catalan sensed City lacked that desire having lifted four of the past five league titles.

"They have many years without winning the Premier League and that gives you a little bit extra to win games in 93, 96, 98," Guardiola told reporters.

"That is something they have that we don’t have because we have won back-to-back, two times.

"That's why when people say about your opinion on the team and the season it's after two times back-to-back and 50 points for our opponents in the first half still we are there.

"Normally in this country when you win something a lot and you don’t start well or someone is a bit better, you drop it. You are not consistent. Still we are there. This is the best trophy and compliment that we can have.

"I don’t know what's going to happen at the end of the season but still they know that we want to be there and we will fight to be there and this is great."

The contrasting recent states of the clubs, given Arsenal's league title drought and City's recent dominance, has ensured Premier League favouritism has remained reserved despite the Gunners' lead.

But Guardiola pushed the narrative that Arsenal were the favourites, even after City beat them 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium amid the Gunners' three-game winless run in February.

"Still Arsenal are the favourites because they are in front," Guardiola said. "They made an incredible first leg, they dropped a little bit but now they’re coming back."

Six of Arsenal's remaining 11 league fixtures at home, but they will travel to face City on April 26. The Gunners also have difficult trips to Liverpool and Newcastle United to come and host Chelsea too.

City also have six home games in their final 11, including hosting Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland's secret weapon is that he "never gets sad" about missing chances.

The Norwegian striker scored his 28th Premier League goal of the season as his penalty gave Manchester City a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Haaland had missed a presentable chance in the first half but slotted his spot-kick with calm precision in the 78th minute at Selhurst Park. 

"One of his biggest attributes I discovered and knowing him, working together... he can miss one chance and he never gets depressed, he isn't sad," Guardiola said after the win.

"He's always thinking positive, the next one, he knows he'll have the chance and he'll be there. This is an incredible attribute for a football player.

"An athlete normally in football and basketball and tennis, when you're thinking in the action, in the past, that's finished, you cannot be a good athlete. This guy misses and he thinks, 'OK, I'll have another one and another one'."

Some have suggested City's occasional struggles this season, despite Haaland's incredible goal return, are a result of the former Borussia Dortmund man not offering much in the team's build-up play, and Guardiola acknowledged it as an area he wants his striker to improve.

"What I would like when I finish our period together is that he could improve his game with the association with the team, with the right tempo, to realise how he can be involved in our game and not just put the ball in the net," Guardiola said.

"Putting the ball in the net will happen all the time in his life. He doesn't score one or two goals and people say he's not the same. He's always there, the numbers speak for themselves. What he has scored in this league especially, we are still in March."

The City boss also described Haaland's first-half miss as a "penalty", despite the expected goal (xG) rate being just 0.2 according to Opta, compared to 0.8 for a penalty.

"He has to score five goals every game. If he doesn't score it's a lot of pressure," Guardiola joked. "He doesn't have the pressure, he's had an incredible season so far.

"He missed a penalty in the first half because the chance he missed, the penalty is more difficult, but he's always there. The way he celebrates his goals and his mates' goals shows how happy he is here and how happy we are with him.

"He's a young lad, to take the ball there in this pressure, it's not soft, the determination to put it there and score was great.

"Of course he feels the pressure, but it's nice. If you don't feel the pressure you'll be in the bar drinking something. You have to cope, you have to handle it."

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland could adapt his game to play in any country after a hugely impressive first season in the Premier League.

City signed Haaland from Germany's Borussia Dortmund, while he previously played in Austria for Salzburg and his native Norway for Molde.

Although his link-up play has occasionally been criticised, Haaland's goalscoring talent has endured across every league.

He has 27 goals already in the Premier League, closing on the single-season record of 34, but Guardiola expects it would be a similar story in any division.

Asked if Haaland was particularly well suited to playing in England, Guardiola replied: "And I would say in Germany, in Spain, in Italy, in Norway, in Congo, everywhere.

"These types of players adapt everywhere; in Africa, South America, no problem."

Haaland's goals tally might have been even more impressive had Kevin De Bruyne performed on a slightly more consistent basis this season.

Guardiola is sticking by the midfielder, however, acknowledging his team since arriving at City has been "Kevin and 10 more".

"If Kevin is fit, he is ready," the manager said, also confirming Kyle Walker would be available to face Crystal Palace following an incident at a club that was captured on CCTV. The England defender appeared to pull his trousers down, with Cheshire Police looking into the matter.

City will hope to beat Palace on Saturday and again apply pressure to league leaders Arsenal, who responded last week by dramatically beating Bournemouth.

That result was huge for Arsenal, but Guardiola insisted it had no adverse impact on City.

"Of course we take a look. We have to do our job and take a look," Guardiola said. "You see it's 0-2 and after 2-2 and after it's six minutes extra time, they score after.

"So, it's a pity. It would be better with a draw.

"We have to admit we are used to this for Liverpool. How many times in the last few seasons they scored in the last minutes at Anfield? How many?

"It was one of the biggest talents for Liverpool to scored in the last minute. I've lived it in the last three, four years, when we fought against them and battled many, many times."

Pep Guardiola wants to see Kyle Walker and everyone at Manchester City behaving like adults but insisted he should not have to police their off-duty business like a strict father.

The City manager passed no public judgement on Walker's behaviour in a bar that led to negative headlines this week, other than to say it had been dealt with internally.

The England international was shown on CCTV footage, published by The Sun, with friends at a venue where he apparently pulled down his trousers.

It was alleged by the newspaper that Walker indecently exposed himself, with the incident said to have happened last Sunday. Cheshire Police is looking into the matter.

Guardiola said Walker can count on his support after a week in the spotlight and stressed he was available for selection for Saturday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace.

"We have to adapt to the reality," Guardiola said at a press conference. "Everybody knows it, and today they are exposed 24 hours for everything. Private life doesn't exist any more out of their home."

Guardiola was asked whether he had called Walker in to remind him of his responsibilities.

The 32-year-old full-back is among the most senior of City's players, and this is not his first brush with off-field controversy. He was accused of breaching lockdown during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, with City taking a dim view of his first alleged breach when he was said to have held a party at his home.

Guardiola said of the latest incident: "I spoke with him, but we're adults. I'm not a father. I'm a friend of him. I know in the past many things happen. He and everyone can count on me with the personal issues.

"I don't have to tell him that you don't have to behave in that way. He's an adult. The club is there all the time. I like to feel they can count on us in the good and bad moments."

Guardiola stressed: "Everybody knows that the only place I think is safe is inside at home, lock the door. The moment you unlock the door, you are exposed.

"Today it's completely different to 15, 20 years ago. Now you have to adapt, the players know it."

Pep Guardiola has reminded Manchester City's players they cannot expect privacy after footage of Kyle Walker's behaviour in a bar led to negative headlines this week.

The City and England defender was shown on CCTV footage, published by The Sun, with friends at a venue where he apparently pulled down his trousers.

The newspaper alleged Walker indecently exposed himself, with the incident said to have happened last Sunday. Cheshire Police has confirmed it is looking into the matter.

Guardiola said it was "a private issue" and he would not discuss Walker's conduct.

"We solved it internally, speaking with him," Guardiola said in his regular Friday pre-match press conference. "Of course, this is not the place to talk about private situations."

Asked if players needed to be extra cautious when out and about, given the chances of being on camera, Guardiola said: "Yes, definitely, it's completely different than years ago, definitely."

He suggested the players had already received plenty of advice about how to act.

"They know it already," Guardiola said. "When you open the door at home you have to know you will be filmed, whatever you do. It's part of the society."

City head to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, looking to cut leaders Arsenal's advantage to two points ahead of the Gunners' game at Fulham the following day.

Palace have not won any of their last seven Premier League home games against City (D2 L5), last getting a Selhurst Park victory over the Manchester giants in April 2015.

Moreover, Palace have not won any of their last nine Premier League games in the current campaign, the longest ongoing barren run.

All signs point to an away success, although City have already dropped more points in league games away from the Etihad Stadium this season (15) than they did in the whole of 2021-22 (11).

Guardiola dismissed concerns over travel to the game after snowfall.

But he predicted the fixture would be a major test of his team, saying: "Every game away in the Premier League is difficult. Crystal Palace in previous seasons, especially at home [in Manchester], we've struggled a lot to get results."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants Kevin De Bruyne to return to the basics to re-discover his best form after a recent dip by his own standards.

The two-time Premier League Player of the Season missed two games recently due to illness and has not been his lively and proactive normal self when on the field.

The Belgian struggled for impact against Newcastle United in Saturday's 2-0 win, turning the ball on occasion, before being replaced near the hour by Bernardo Silva.

De Bruyne had found some form with a brilliant strike in City's 3-0 FA Cup win at Bristol City last week but Guardiola said he had a "passive" first half.

"Kevin, always the standards of Kevin are the sky," Guardiola said.

"Everyone knows his level. In one week he has an opportunity to show his quality, delighted for the victory we had, this is what we have to do. Come back to principles, work hard.

"Everything will come back without any effort. Just do it your usual quality, your best."

De Bruyne has scored four goals and provided 12 assists in the Premier League this season, with City sitting second, five points behind Arsenal.

City have a rare midweek break with no games scheduled, allowing Guardiola's players an opportunity to rest and recover prior to Saturday's league trip to Crystal Palace, before hosting RB Leipzig in their Champions League last-16 second leg.

Guardiola underlined the importance of both games to their season.

"We prepare good for the game against Crystal Palace, always was really difficult for us," Guardiola said.

"And, of course, Leipzig, I have the same opinion that I had when we played them and after Burnley with Vinnie will come back here before the international break.

"If we are able to win the games, we are still alive in three competitions and that last part we will be there. If we lose, we will be out. Simple as that.

"Arrive in a stage when you are there that you know exactly when you lose games you lose competitions. Now is the moment that is going to happen."

Pep Guardiola thinks Manchester City's upcoming three-game stretch will define their season.

The defending Premier League champions kicked off March with a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, to keep up the pressure on leaders Arsenal.

The Gunners appeared to have faltered under that pressure as they went down 2-0 to Bournemouth but Reiss Nelson's stunning finish sealed a remarkable comeback.

A clash with Crystal Palace is next up for City in the top flight, before a Champions League encounter with RB Leipzig – that last-16 tie is level at 1-1 – and FA Cup meeting with Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

With the three games effectively forming major hurdles towards City's hopes of trophy success this term, Guardiola is not underestimating its make-or-break potential for their campaign.

"Before the international break, we have three games in different competitions that will define our season," he told reporters.

"Crystal Palace, RB Leipzig and Burnley. They will define what we want to do for the rest of the season."

While the margin of victory against Newcastle suggested a degree of comfort to their performance, Guardiola was insistent his side were forced to work for their win.

"It's Newcastle," he added. "They are an exceptional team. The set-pieces from [Kieran] Trippier, every corner, every kick, they are in a great position.

"They have an exceptional holding midfield. [They were] in the final of the EFL Cup a week ago.

"They've been in the top five all season. It's an incredible result for us, because it was a tricky game."

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