Riyad Mahrez has stated his ambition to win the Champions League with Manchester City after joining the Premier League champions from Leicester.
Mahrez, who won the league title with Leicester in 2016, moved to the Etihad Stadium in a £60m deal this week and he has wasted no time in outlining what he wants to achieve under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
“City have ambition to go further than the Champions League quarter-finals like they did last season,” he said, as reported by BBC Sport. “I made the decision to come here because I want to be part of that.
“The Champions League is for big clubs. They’re a big club, they have everything to try to win it. Pep is a big manager – he’s won a lot of things and made history with this club.
“I’ll give my best to achieve for the club. If I can help add quality.”
Despite winning the Premier League with record numbers of goals, wins and points last season, City lost 5-1 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The furthest City have ever gone in European competition was the last four under Manuel Pellegrini in 2015/16, when they lost to Real Madrid.
But Guardiola won the trophy twice with Barcelona and Mahrez believes that the Spaniard has the ability to repeat the achievement with City.
Mahrez moved to England in 2013, helping Leicester to win promotion in his first season, survival in his second, and the unlikeliest of league titles in his third. The Algerian was named PFA player of the year for his efforts during that campaign. He has signed a five-year deal at Manchester City.
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