Manchester City director Pep Guardiola has not lost hope in the quest for the qualification of the Champions League, but conceded that his tired team could be helped by a campaign without the pressure of European football.
Nottingham Forest was worthy of the winners of 1-0 at home against the decreasing champions of Premier League on Saturday, condemning City to its ninth high-level defeat of the season, which is equivalent to the club record for league losses during the scintillating mandate of Guardiola. In fact, this statement of high -flying setbacks is the highest that the Catalan coach supervised throughout his management career.
Chelsea’s disjointed victory against Leicester City on Sunday, pushed the city in fifth place. The best five of the Premier League should qualify for the Champions League next season, but Brighton, sixth, is only a point behind the Champions and Face City next weekend.
“The qualification for the Champions League would be a great success, but you must [earn] It, “Guardiola warned after the defeat against Forest.” That there are five, six or seven [places] You have to win matches.
“It wouldn’t be good [if City didn’t qualify] But I saw what happened with other Premier League teams in the past. Not being in the Champions League would be a problem, but there are teams that do not qualify who have returned and they are there now. “”
|
Season – Club |
League loss |
|---|---|
|
2019/20 – Man City |
9 |
|
2024/25 – Man City |
9 * |
|
2016/17 – Man City |
6 |
|
2020/21 – Man City |
6 |
|
2008/09 – Barcelona |
5 |
|
2014/15 – Bayern Munich |
5 |
|
2022/23 – Man City |
5 |
|
2018/19 – Man City |
4 |
|
2011/12 – Barcelona |
3 |
|
2021/22 – Man City |
3 |
|
2023/24 – Man City |
3 |
|
2010/11 – Barcelona |
2 |
|
2013/14 – Bayern Munich |
2 |
|
2015/16 – Bayern Munich |
2 |
|
2017/18 – Man City |
2 |
|
2009/10 – Barcelona |
1 |
Chelsea sadly missed European football entirely after a disastrous campaign 2015/16 before having fun as a high flight the following season under Antonio Conte in the first season of Guardiola Premier League. Arsenal also returned to the continental elite after a six -year drought and Aston Villa is currently taking advantage of his very first campaign in the Champions League.
“How many years was Manchester City in the Champions League in February? Ten years? No, more than that. And before that, they have never played in the competition,” added Guardiola. “We are used to doing exceptional things and we have to try to do it, but we wake up in the morning and try to continue and have a good season next season.
“In direct elimination matches, the details sometimes make the difference, but in the Premier League, more than 38 games if you are unable to finish in the first four or five, it is because we were not good enough. We will have to continue next season, but we have ten games, it’s always in our hands and we will try.”
Since taking care of the first Barcelona team in 2008, Guardiola has never failed to qualify for the European competition of the club. However, this side of the city ravaged by the injury gives comfortably the worst results of his coach career. Never before has a Guardiola team finished a high -flying season with a goal difference under 41 – City’s current count has only 15.
