Pep Guardiola insists Champions League success won’t heal the pain of Julia Roberts’ Man City snub

Manchester City defeated RB Leipzig 7-0 in a lopsided Champions League round of 16 second leg on Tuesday night in which superstar striker Erling Haaland scored five goals on aggregate to seal an 8-1 aggregate win and easily secure a spot in the quarterfinals – Draw on Friday.

Such a devastating performance both as a team and individually from Haaland will greatly fuel belief that City can finally end their long wait for glory in Europe’s elite club competition – the one major trophy they continue to elude despite their unprecedented period of national success is under Guardiola during a seven-year tenure that spanned four Premier League titles, the FA Cup and four League Cups.

It would be a hugely satisfying performance for the Spaniard, who has often been criticized for failing to complement the two Champions League titles he won as coach with Barcelona during his tenures at Bayern Munich and City.

However, in a press conference held after Leipzig’s demolition, a carefree Guardiola joked that even lifting the trophy for the third time couldn’t cure him of the disappointment that still lingers after heroine and famed Oscar winner Roberts revealed herself opted to check out United over City on a previous visit to Manchester.

“I’m a failure in the Champions League,” said Guardiola. “If I win the Champions League three times 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.

“Julia Roberts came to Manchester years ago – not in the 90s when Sir Alex (Ferguson) was winning titles and titles and titles. It came at the time when we were better than United, those four or five years, right?

“And she was visiting Man United. She didn’t come to see us. So even if I win the Champions League, it won’t compare to the fact that Julia Roberts came to Manchester and didn’t visit us.

“Even if I win the Champions League, it doesn’t compare to this disappointment I had.”