Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has vowed his team will return stronger next season despite their struggles this year in the English Premier League and Champions League. Guardiola made the remarks following a challenging period for the reigning champions, who are currently 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool and on the brink of Champions League elimination.
Speaking after City’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa at Villa Park on December 21, Guardiola acknowledged the difficulties his team has faced this season but expressed confidence in their resilience. “We are not the best positioned in the circumstances, absolutely,” he said. “I’m not stupid enough to not know what our standards and level are. Everybody knows it.”
Admitting the Struggles
Guardiola, who has led Manchester City to four consecutive Premier League titles and a total of 18 trophies since joining the club in 2016, admitted the season has been challenging from the start. “I saw it many times — three months ago, two months ago — that this season we are going to suffer, and it’s happened,” he said.
City’s recent performances have highlighted their struggles. In addition to their poor league standing, they suffered a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League after squandering a two-goal lead. This loss has put them in a must-win situation against Club Brugge on Wednesday to stay in the competition.
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Looking Ahead with Optimism
Despite the setbacks, Guardiola remains optimistic about the team’s future. “Still, I believe they are a fantastic group of players, as we have proven in seven, eight, nine years. For two months of bad results, I’m not going to change my opinion,” he said. “Next season we’ll be back, really.”
Guardiola also reminded fans that even top clubs can face tough times, citing examples of Chelsea and Manchester United missing out on Champions League qualification in recent years. “Many big clubs, like Chelsea right now, are not in the Champions League. (Manchester) United are not in the Champions League. It can happen to us, definitely, not being there,” he said.
Focusing on the Present Challenges
As City prepare to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday and then Club Brugge in the Champions League, Guardiola emphasized the importance of focusing on the immediate challenges. A win against Club Brugge is crucial for their hopes of staying in Europe’s elite competition, while every Premier League match matters in their fight to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
City fans will be hoping Guardiola’s faith in his team and his promise to rebuild next season will translate into better results on the pitch. For now, the Spanish manager is urging his players and supporters to remain resilient in the face of adversity. “This is football, and sometimes you have to face these difficult moments to come back even stronger,” he said.
Manchester City’s next games will be pivotal in determining how they finish the season, but Guardiola’s message is clear: no matter the current struggles, the team will fight on and return to their winning ways.