Champions League: Guardiola Backs Bayern Over Liverpool

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has thrown his weight behind German champions Bayern Munich ahead of their Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Bayern host Liverpool at the Allianz Arena in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

The tie is in the balance after both teams played goalless in the first leg in February.

Guardiola backed Bayern over Liverpool due to his close ties with the Bavarian giants.

In his post-match thoughts after Manchester City booked their spot in the Champions League quarterfinals, Guardiola told reporters that he wants Bayern Munich to go through as he still has friends at the club.

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Pep Guardiola was the Bayern Munich manager for three years between 2010 and 2013.

He led the Bavarian giants to three successive Bundesliga titles as well as three consecutive semifinal appearances in the Champions League.

Liverpool are slight underdogs against Bayern Munich ahead of their Champions League clash as they hope to make it a fourth English side in the Champions League by piping their German opponents to one of the two remaining quarterfinal spots up for grabs.

Manchester City became the third team to qualify for the last eight following their 10-2 aggregate win over Schalke 04.

They thrashed the Germans 7-0 in the second leg played at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.