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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola does not expect his players to lack motivation against Monaco

Pep Guardiola expects the incentive of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals to conquer any tiredness as Manchester City head to Monaco this week.

City may hold a 5-3 aggregate lead over the Ligue 1 leaders in the last-16 tie but, given the end-to-end nature of a pulsating first leg, progress to the last eight is not straightforward.

With that in mind, Guardiola might have wanted to rest players at the weekend, but he felt he could take no chances in Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough and fielded a strong side.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola does not believe fatigue will be a problem in Monaco
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola does not believe fatigue will be a problem in Monaco
City were in control from the third minute against Middlesbrough with David Silva scoring
City were in control from the third minute against Middlesbrough with David Silva scoring

The hope might then have been to substitute key personnel early but, with City unable to decisively kill off a game they won 2-0, that did not transpire.