Guardiola opens up on Madrid defeat: 'I'm comfortable handling bad situations'

Defeats do not come more difficult than the one that Manchester City suffered in Madrid on Wednesday evening. Two goals ahead going into the final minute but still somehow eliminated from the Champions League. What could Pep Guardiola say?

Very little, he admits. This is Friday afternoon. He has not watched the game back. "Of course, we can analyse," he tells Sky Sports. "But in this type of game there are a lot of emotions involved and now I prefer to be focused on Newcastle."

That is the next Premier League game on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League. "The most important thing." The first of City's four remaining games. Such is Liverpool's form, it is likely they will need to win all of them if they are to retain the Premier League title. This is the only trophy left now.

After travelling back from Madrid, the players have been given the day off. Not so for Guardiola. He is back at the training ground, addressing the media. There is no sense of a man in mourning, he even shares a joke or two. He is preparing for Newcastle.

There is a misconception about Guardiola. Those distant stares on the bench, the manic gestures on the touchline. A man who cares so deeply, invests so much, must surely be broken by defeat. It is not the way he sees it. It is the setbacks that forge him.

"What is life? Life is not always good moments," he explains.

"In sport, especially, there are more bad moments than good moments." And then comes a surprising admission. "I am so comfortable handling these type of situations. Sometimes I am more comfortable in that than when I am handling the success."

There are those he leans on in such moments.

Manel Estiarte, Spain's former Olympic water polo champion, is a constant. His presence on the