Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says only by winning the Champions League will his team get the recognition they deserve.
City face a potentially season-defining six days in the coming week as they do battle with title rivals Liverpool twice either side of their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid.
“We feel all together, inside, we will remember this period with big satisfaction for what we have done,” said Guardiola, whose side were beaten Champions League finalists last season.
“Sometimes (people say) we have to get the proof from outside to be happy inside. That is stupid. There’s no sense in always looking for proof from outside that what you are doing is right.
“But I agree with people that say, ‘You didn’t win the Champions League’ (because) maybe to have this recognition from everyone in the world outside you do have to conquer Europe.
“If it’s going to happen I don’t know but I think, so far, what we have done here we are incredibly happy with. We did many good things.”