Barcelona and Arsenal matches leave Pep Guardiola “grateful” as they prevent empty stadiums | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued his delight at this week’s UEFA Champions League semi-finals as they prevent empty stadiums.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal played out an enthralling spectacle in front of supporters at the Emirates Stadium in the first of this week’s two Champions League semi-finals, as a single Ousmane Dembele goal in the opening minutes recorded a 0-1 win for PSG.

In truth, the Parisien club could have ran away with a win by a much greater margin as the Gunners failed to build on a staggering performance put in against Real Madrid in the quarter-final stage of the competition.

As for the other contest and Barcelona’s meeting with Inter, quick-fire goals put the Italian side 0-2 ahead in 21 minutes before Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres would tie the game level by the half-time interval.

There would be more of the same in the second-half as Denzel Dumfries restored Inter’s advantage, only for a Yann Sommer own goal to bring the game back to 3-3 and leave both sides requiring victory in the second-leg to reach the Champions League final.

Speaking to the media this week ahead of Manchester City’s return to action, Pep Guardiola was keen to issue his delight at the spectacle on offer for fans all around the world in the Champions League this week.

“I’m surprised by how nice was the game. Thanks to these types of games stadiums will never EVER be empty, and our business will grow,” Guardiola said in direct reference to Barcelona’s dramatic 3-3 home draw with Inter in the semi-final first-leg.

“I just can be grateful for the two Champions League semi-finals – both were unbelievable, especially yesterday.

“When you play like Barcelona, stadiums never ever will be empty. And we can live in this business for a long, long time,” the 54-year-old continued.

“It doesn’t matter the results; how proud the people who love Barcelona are.

“And I think Inter proved again how, when we won the Champions League against that opponent, incredible Inter are; how they defend, the transitions, and physicality and well-organised.

“[Simone] Inzaghi is an unbelievable manager. Next Tuesday and Wednesday will be an incredible two games. A fantastic four teams and they deserve to be there.”

Manchester City will be hoping to compete much stronger in next season’s Champions League should they manage to qualify via a top-five finish in the Premier League, having exited Europe’s premier club competition before the last-16 stage for the first time since 2012.