Pep Guardiola does not think Manchester City have been helped in their Premier League title push by their Champions League elimination.
While Liverpool must play a two-legged semi-final against Barcelona during their domestic run-in, City no longer have to worry about midweek games.
Some might suggest the lack of fixture congestion would aid City as they bid to see off the Merseysiders in a tight title race but Guardiola feels the opposite is true.
City's quarter-final exit has meant a change of routine for a side that have played a lot of midweek fixtures due to their progress to the finals of both domestic cups.
City boss Guardiola said: "When that happens in November, December, January, February that helps a lot. That happened for Liverpool. In that period it was better for Liverpool than us.
"But to be involved in the Champions League semi-finals – you are not tired. You do not feel any pain. That is a better position to be in, to be in the semi-finals.
"The toughest months in this competition are December, January, February when they had two weeks in training camps and we had to be here playing every three days. That is a big advantage for the opponent."
City bounced back from their agonising Champions League defeat to Tottenham by beating the same side in the Premier League and then winning a tense derby at Manchester United in midweek.
Guardiola feels this response underlined City's champion qualities.
He said: "The most incredible thing was that we beat Tottenham at home three days after the defeat in the Champions League. They showed me the character, the personality and the team we are.
"They don't have to do anything else to convince me. They want to win this title. If they didn't, we wouldn't have done what we have done."
