Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City played with some fear in the first half against Hoffenheim but said they were more intense after the break, as they forced a late David Silva goal to secure a 2-1 win in their second Champions League Group F match.

City fell behind to a goal from Ishak Belfodil inside 60 seconds at the Rheine-Neckar-Arena and while Sergio Agüero soon equalised they had to wait until the 87th minute for Silva’s finish to claim victory.

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In light of the home defeat by Lyon in City’s opening game, Guardiola was especially pleased. “After the last game it was so important that we didn’t lose. A win in Germany is always so complicated and we will learn so it’s a good three points because we fought against a lot of things,” he said, before admitting City were tentative before the break. “We played with a little bit of fear. We were more intense in the second half. They are so well organised defensively – it was not easy but at the end we found the right moment to win the game.”

Guardiola was unhappy at Leroy Sané being denied a penalty when Oliver Baumann appeared to pull him down in the second half but the City manager – who was serving a touchline ban when City lost to Lyon at the Etihad – refused to discuss this afterwards. “I don’t want to talk because if I do I will be in the tribune. I want to be on the bench with my players in the next game – on the bench.”

Guardiola reiterated his pre-game stance that having to struggle can help the team in the long run. “We have to live it like a club, for the players and myself it will be good,” he said. “This competition – if we are able to go through we’ll have learned about what we have to do to beat opponents, I’m pretty sure. It will be good for our future as a club, our performance today.”