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Pep Guardiola says Manchester City must score in Monaco to advance in the Champions League

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits he is not concerned with his team's defensive openness after their 5-3 Champions League win against Monaco

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City must score in Monaco to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals after their dramatic 5-3 first-leg win at the Etihad.

City twice fought back against the Ligue 1 leaders, scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to take a two-goal lead to France for the return leg on March 15.

Monaco are the highest scorers in the top five European leagues this season in all competitions with 111 goals and a 2-0 victory in the second leg would send them through.

Raheem Sterling of Manchester City (7) celebrates with team mates
Image: Raheem Sterling scored the first goal of the evening at the Etihad

As a result, Guardiola warned his City side they cannot rely on their defence to progress despite the advantage.

"A lot of things happened and still everything is open," Guardiola said. "We played fantastic, incredible, amazing.

"Of course I am so happy for the result, because we are still alive, especially for the performance of the guys. For most of them it is their first experience in the Champions League and these kind of things maybe help for the club to achieve another step.

"Because you know my opinion about that, so Monaco has more history than us in the Champions League and you have to live these kinds of situations - to be in trouble, to overcome that situation, to get better and be a better club and a better team.

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"We are going to fly to Monaco to score as many goals as possible. Now we know each other better, we are going to adjust, they are going to adjust. If we don't score in Monaco we will be eliminated."

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring his sides third goal with Leroy Sane
Image: Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring his side's third goal with Leroy Sane

It was a thrilling night at the Etihad as both sides capitalised on poor defending with some incisive attacking football.

Sergio Aguero and Radamel Falcao each scored twice for their respective teams, with the Colombia international also seeing a second-half penalty saved by Willy Caballero.

Guardiola described the football as "marvellous" and "beautiful" but admitted City made several defensive mistakes in the first half.

John Stones of Manchester City celebrates as he scores their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie v Monaco
Image: John Stones scored City's fourth in the second half

"It was a special game, I cannot deny that," Guardiola added. "Ups and downs. We attacked quite good, our build-up was quite slow, but it was not easy because Monaco are so organised.

"Of course we have to improve. The first goal was a mistake, the second goal again, but the opponents played and sometimes they score a goal. The lesson is we didn't give up.

"We were lucky in some moments, especially in the second half, and we were so unlucky, especially in the first half.

"We attacked in small spaces, we defended huge spaces behind. That's why they wanted me to come here, I love to play in that way, I think it is something special when two teams play in that way, attack and attack, in the end the football is marvellous.

"Everybody has to be congratulated. We are a little bit happier than my Monaco colleague but if it's 2-0 [in Monaco] were are out and if one team can score a thousand million goals, it is Monaco."

On Caballero's penalty stop, Guardiola said: "In that moment 1-3 mentally would have been so tough, but Willy made an excellent penalty save."

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