Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne says his side must win the Champions League in order to avoid being branded 'failures', ahead of City's last 16 trip to Real Madrid.
The Citizens scooped every domestic trophy going last season, but a Champions League title has long proved elusive.
Despite collecting 198 points across the previous two Premier League campaigns, the club have never progressed further than the quarter-finals under Pep Guardiola, with their run to the last four in 2015/16 the closest they have come to European success.
Midfielder de Bruyne says despite the remarkable domestic success that City have enjoyed in recent seasons, only Champions League glory can silence their sternest critics.
Speaking to Goal ahead of City's visit to the Bernabeu, de Bruyne said:
"It's something we've not won yet. We always want to win everything but sometimes another team is better or performing well – like Liverpool are doing this season.
Without struggle there is no progress pic.twitter.com/hb6Or42xPd
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) September 15, 2019
"It's just that way and you just have to admit it. But we will just go there to win that game. You can't look too much forwards and see what's going to happen."
City's run to the semi-finals in 2015/16 ended in defeat by Wednesday's opponents Real Madrid. Los Blancos would go all the way in the competition that season, collecting their 11th Champions League title.
A 12th and 13th crown followed over the next two years, but according to de Bruyne, the prestige of their last 16 opponents will not prevent City from playing their football.
Source : 90min