Pep Guardiola: Man City winning Champions League once is nothing special

Treble winners face Serbian side Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Champions League. Reuters

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola poses for a picture with the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

A supporter of Inter Milan reacts after InterMilan's defeat against Manchester City at the Piazza Castello (Castello's square) fanzone in Milan after the UEFA Champions League final. AFP

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland, wrapped in the Norwegian flag, celebrates with the fans after winning the UEFA Champions League. AFP

Manchester City's English midfielder #10 Jack Grealish celebrates with his girlfriend and relatives after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's players pose with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #9 Erling Haaland wavers t the fans as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan kisses the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder #16 Rodri bites the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola celebrates with the winners' medal after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Brazilian goalkeeper #31 Ederson kisses the European Cup trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City. AFP

UEFA President President Aleksander Ceferin (R) presents the European Cup trophy to Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan after their win in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan holds aloft the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) celebrates with Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Portuguese defender #3 Ruben Dias (C) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #4 Kalvin Phillips celebrates at the final whistle after they won the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Inter Milan's Argentinian forward #10 Lautaro Martinez reacts to their defeat in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

TOPSHOT - Manchester City's English midfielder #47 Phil Foden (L) and Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. Manchester City won the match 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Manchester City players celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Ferran Soriano, Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City, celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images

Manchester City's English defender #5 John Stones celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images

Sergio Gomez of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory in the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images

Manchester City player Kevin de Bruyne, his wife Michele de Bruyne and two of their children pose with the trophy after the team won the UEFA Champions League Final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. EPA

Ilkay Guendogan of Manchester City lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy after the team's victory during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City FC at Atatuerk Olympic Stadium. Getty Images

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola kisses the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan. AP

Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City celebrates with the UEFA Champions League trophy. Getty Images

Manchester City's English defender #2 Kyle Walker slides as he celebrates winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. AFP

Manchester City's Emirati chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak poses with the European Cup trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League final. AFP

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne is greeted by fans as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League final soccer match where Manchester City beat Inter Milan 1-0 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. AP

Manchester City players and staff celebrate with the Champions League trophy after their win over Inter Milan in the final on Saturday. Getty

Rodri of Manchester City celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the match-winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Getty

Inter Milan players look dejected after defeat in the Champions League final. Getty

Manchester City's Rodri scores the opening goal past Inter Milan's Andre Onana in Istanbul. Reuters

Rodri after scoring the opening goal for Manchester City. Getty

Manchester City's Erling Haaland speaks to manager Pep Guardiola in Istanbul. Getty

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland watches as Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi heads the ball clear. AFP

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne receives treatment during the match. AFP

Kevin De Bruyne leaves the pitch after being substituted due to injury. AFP

Kevin De Bruyne is consoled by Erling Haaland. Getty

Jack Grealish of Manchester City and Denzel Dumfries of Inter fight for the ball. EPA

Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco vies for the ball with Manchester City's Rodri. AP

Pep Guardiola has challenged Manchester City to win multiple Champions League titles saying lifting the trophy once is “nothing special”.

City won the Champions League for the first time in the club's history last season, clinching a historic treble, and they start the defence of their crown against Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Guardiola's side already have one trophy in the bag, having defeated Sevilla to lift the Uefa Super Cup last month, and have started the Premier League campaign by winning five out of five games.

On Saturday, they came back from a goal down to beat West Ham United 3-1 at the London Stadium with Erling Haaland scoring his seventh goal in five league games.

City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul to become European champions thanks to Rodri's goal and while Guardiola is proud of their achievements, he insists there is much more to achieve before the team can be counted among the all-time greats.

Ahead of Tuesday's game against the Serbian champions, Guardiola said: “I'd like to say that for our club to win the Champions League is incredible – the first time in our history – but, in perspective, how many teams have won the Champions League once?

“A lot have won two, three, four, five. In perspective, we did nothing special. It's just one.

“Let's go. Let's try to win tomorrow against a team so aggressive, so fast up front.

“It’s most difficult to win the first one,” the Spaniard added. “But every season we start the competition in the first game with the target to win the first game, then the group stage, then try to win the Champions League. Nothing changes from before.

“The same for Red Star tomorrow. It depends on our performance and our level.

“We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes.

“But always we were so strong at home, nine points from nine. When that happens you can win just one game away and you qualify. Tomorrow is the first step.”

City defender Kyle Walker revealed ahead of their Group G opener that Guardiola has told the team that they must consider themselves back at the bottom of the mountain again this season.

Walker, 33, signed a new contract last week after previously being close to joining Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, who did sign his England teammate Harry Kane.

“The lads have got that hunger again to go and achieve something really special again this season, fingers crossed,” he said after agreeing a two-year extension. “So I wanted to be a part of it and I didn't want to miss out on that.”

And Walker said on Monday that the team has to be ready to go again as that is “what separates the good teams from the great teams”.

“It’s our job to stay motivated. We’re at a massive club for a reason, because the manager believes in us and we’re all great players,” said the England right back who has captained the team this season after the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona.

Manchester City will again be without defender John Stones, midfield summer signing Mateo Kovacic and winger Jack Grealish and for the match due to injuries. Playmaker Kevin de Bruyne remains a long-term absentee.