Instead of chasing a record fifth consecutive Premier League title, City are now struggling to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League due to a significant drop in form.
This season, City have already suffered six Premier League defeats—twice as many as last season—and are currently sitting fourth in the table as February approaches. ..Continue Reading
Their struggles have extended to European competitions, where they rank 25th out of 36 teams heading into the final round of Champions League matches.
Failing to secure a win against Club Brugge on Wednesday would result in an embarrassing exit from the Champions League for Guardiola’s team. Even a win would only secure them a play-off spot.
For several months, Guardiola has appeared frustrated and unsettled, and he has reportedly confided in at least two Premier League managers—Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola—that he ‘wishes he had their team’, according to Guillem Balague.
Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, Spanish football expert Balague said: ‘Pep has told, that I know of, three managers he’s played against recently and he said, “I wish I had your team”.
‘The impression he’s got is he now needs that kind of energetic, dynamic, mouldable team that you see at Chelsea, Bournemouth and PSG – the three teams.’
Even though Guardiola holds Chelsea in high regard, Manchester City managed to secure victories in both encounters against Maresca’s team, triumphing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and 3-1 in their recent meeting at the Etihad Stadium.
In contrast, City suffered a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth in November and squandered a two-goal advantage to lose 4-2 against Paris Saint-Germain last week.
With the crucial Champions League match against Club Brugge looming, Manchester City is under significant pressure.
However, defender Josko Gvardiol remains optimistic, stating that the team’s “confidence is good” following their important win over Chelsea.
‘We all need to stick together, to try and get out of this together,’ said Gvardiol. ‘We are in a good way.
‘We want to qualify for the next stage and I think our confidence is good, especially after our last home game. We’re going to have huge support from our fans so I think we’re going to be ready.’
Guardiola, meanwhile, said of City’s Champions League hopes: ‘The situation that we have is that we have to win the game and if not we will not continue in this competition.
‘We want to have another chance to play another two games, to have the chance of the next stages. It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity.
‘These type of games I’ve played many times. Sooner or later you have to play them where if you win you go through and if you don’t you go out.
‘We are here for the reasons we know, that we have not been good enough, and this is a situation we have lived many times.’
