Ederson believes there is a renewed motivation in the Manchester City squad to win the Champions League this season, as the Blues prepare to resume their European campaign this week.
City travel to RB Leipzig on Wednesday for their last-16 first-leg tie, hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the sixth year in succession. After reaching the final in 2021 and suffering a heart-breaking semi-final exit last year, City are hoping to go one better this season and win their first European Cup.
Previewing the Leipzig trip, goalkeeper Ederson explained his own personal motivations for getting his hands on a Champions League winner's medal, while admitting that City also want to win the tournament to complete manager Pep Guardiola's trophy collection with the club.
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“We’ve been trying and will carry on trying. We haven’t won it yet; we reached the final, and a few semi-finals, and we didn’t come out of it with a good result," Ederson told UEFA.
“But I think this year, we’re more than capable of getting to the final and challenging for the title. Of course, football doesn’t always go the way we want it to, but we’re going to try again.
“We’re coming after it. I think we’re a group of great quality and that shows how much the club has developed over the last five or six years, with Premier League titles, Carabao Cups, FA Cups, Community Shields. So, this title is what the club needs, it’s what we athletes need and it’s what Guardiola needs here at the club, too. This year, we’re going to try. We’re going after it.”
Outlining his personal goals, Ederson says winning the Champions League is one of the only objectives remaining in his career.
"My objective was always that: to play in the Champions League, to play at a big club and to win competitions, to challenge for a World Cup," he explained.
“So, I’ve always worked with objectives. 'I will play in the Champions League; I will play in the Premier League; I will play in the World Cup'. I always put it as an objective, because I already achieved my dream of becoming a professional footballer – I achieved that. From that moment, I started to set goals in my career and, thank God, I’ve managed to hit these goals.
“One of the goals I have set for myself is to win the Champions League. That’s what’s missing and I want to be able to achieve this objective. I’m willing to always work hard, I always give it my all. So, this year, I want to achieve my objective, by any means necessary.”
City are familiar with opponents Leipzig after facing them in the group stage last season. An entertaining 6-3 home win was followed by a 2-1 defeat at the Red Bull Arena - when City were already guaranteed as group winners - with Ederson explaining how the Blues will take nothing for granted.
He said: "Last season we played against them in the group stage. They're a good team, with good players, so we have to be prepared. I hope we'll be able to play well, but it won't be easy because the Champions League doesn't have easy games.
"I'm expecting a challenge, and I'm hoping we'll be able to play well and get a good result in the first leg and to carry on with that afterwards."
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