Thursday 25 February 2016 11:54, UK
Manuel Pellegrini insists Manchester City still have work to do after their Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Dynamo Kiev.
City produced one of their best performances of the season to put one foot in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory in Ukraine on Wednesday night.
First-half goals from Sergio Aguero and David Silva put City in control before Yaya Toure made the result safe late on, after Vitaliy Buyalskiy scored during a Dynamo fightback.
"I am very happy," said Pellegrini. "It is an important result, but it is not finished. I think the worst thing we can do is to think that because we won 3-1 away the game at home is finished.
"It is important to understand we are playing against a big team in Dynamo and it is important to have a good performance at home.
"But I think playing away and having a two-goal difference is a good result. We played very well, we created a lot of chances and we pressed very well.
"Maybe at 2-1 there were some moments of doubt but finally, we recovered the ball and scored the third goal."
City's performance gave Pellegrini some vindication for his controversial decision to field a weakened side in last weekend's FA Cup defeat at Chelsea.
"I think in this profession you always get criticism when you don't win but for the manager it is important to take the right decision," he said.
"I always try to respect all the competitions but in this case - having just 13 fit (outfield) players - it was a key decision to rest the team in that game.
"Unfortunately we couldn't continue in the FA Cup but I think it was important for the way we had to play this game, with a lot of intensity."
Reaching the last eight would represent City's best run in the Champions League after going out at the first knockout round in the past two seasons.
Pellegrini said: "It's important to improve every year in the Champions League. I said before the game we were unlucky to have played Barcelona in the previous rounds of 16.
"Now against Dynamo, I hope we can reach one stage more. In the last eight, anything can happen."
Pellegrini's opposite number, Sergei Rebrov, had no complaints about the defeat.
The former Tottenham striker said: "I think we deserved to lose. During the first half we conceded two goals. We played better in the second half and dominated, scored a goal and had chances to score more but unfortunately we couldn't.
"The guys were worried before the game and this worry only disappeared after the break. Still, it was a good experience for us."
Rebrov did not use his side's lack of competitive action - the game was their first since December - as an excuse.
Asked if it was a factor, he said: "Not necessarily. Today we played against one of the best teams in Europe. They have very good attacking potential and they played with such a very high speed it was difficult to watch the players."
