Pep Guardiola Says Hoffenheim Scare in UCL Was 'Best Lesson' for Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Hoffenheim gave his team the "best lesson" they could hope for in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. 

The Premier League side fell behind early on after a goal from Ishak Belfodil. Sergio Aguero equalised not long after, and just when it appeared the team would have to settle for a point, a late goal from David Silva gave them a key victory.

Having lost their opening Champions League game to Lyon, the win would've been an almighty relief for Guardiola, and he said afterwards it's crucial the team learns from this type of match, per Jonathan Smith of ESPN FC.

"We have to live it like a club, for the players and myself it will be good," he said. "This competition, if we are able to go through to the quarter-finals, we'll have learned about what we have to do to beat opponents, I'm pretty sure. The best lesson it will be good for our future as a club, our performance today."

Simon Hofmann/Getty Images

Guardiola, who was banned from the sidelines in the previous game against Lyon after confronting a referee in last season's competition, was also asked about the match officials, as Leroy Sane was denied what appeared to be a clear penalty in the second period.

"I don't want to talk about the officials. I want to be on the bench with my players in the next game," he said.

Per Sam Lee of Goal, while the win will give City a big boost and enhance their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages, the English champions were a long way short of their best:

What will have impressed Guardiola is the attitude showcased by his players. Not only did they continue searching for a winner until the dying embers of the contest, they responded quickly to falling behind and were largely in control against a difficult opponent.

The hero on the night was Silva, with his late goal further etching his place into City's history as one of their all-time great players.

So often he is revered for his technical ability and vision on the ball, but on Tuesday he was willing to put in the hard work to help the team get the important winner, as noted by Tito Football's Seb Stafford-Bloor:

Even so, if City are to win this competition they will need to make refinements, as the levels they show in European matches are below what they produce in the Premier League. Ahead of Sunday's meeting with Liverpool in English football's top flight, City are once again top of the pile.

Next up for them in Europe will be a double header against Shakhtar Donetsk, and two wins in those two fixtures would effectively secure progression into the knockout round of the Champions League. Guardiola will hope those matches are a lot more straightforward than the pair they've played in the competition so far.