Pep Guardiola makes honest admission as Manchester City risks NOT qualifying for Champions League
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted that the club might not qualify for the UCL next season, owing to their recent slump in form.
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola made an honest admission regarding the club’s recent slump, adding that they could miss out on UCL qualification this season. The defending EPL champions remain 7th on the league table, two places away from the UCL spots.
City has been experiencing a difficult time, winning just one out of their last 12 matches. It marks the club’s lowest point, since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2016. They have lost nine out of those matches, and are currently on a three-match losing streak as well. The club now finds itself out of the title race, as they remain 12 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. Halfway through the season, Guardiola’s side are four points behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest, who occupy the last UCL qualification berth.
Speaking in an interview, Pep Guardiola stated that there are several reasons associated with the club’s recent slump. He shared his opinion that clubs in England evidently face challenges, after a long spell of continued dominance.
Moreover, he highlighted that City is the only club to make it to the UCL every time, for the last 11 or 12 seasons. Guardiola stressed on the need for his team to earn points and win games. However, he added the risk of City not making it, as they aren’t prepared and face a lot of issues.
Now we’re at risk, of course we are, definitely… If we don’t qualify it is because we don’t deserve it. Because we were not prepared, because we had a lot of problems and didn’t solve those problems.
Pep Guardiola on Man City not qualifying for the UCL (H/T Guardian)
🚨⚠️ Pep Guardiola: “Right now, we are at the risk of not qualifying for the Champions League… of course we are! Definitely we are”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 25, 2024
“We have to get points and win games otherwise we will not qualify for the Champions League!”. pic.twitter.com/t1IBo8dwFB
Manchester City haven’t been impressive in the Champions League either, winning just two out of six matches. They remain 22nd on the UCL table with eight points, and are fighting to make it to the knock-out stages of the competition.
Pep Guardiola forced Manchester City’s players to sleep at training ground, prior to Everton match
Manchester City players have been reportedly made to sleep at the club’s training ground overnight by manager Pep Guardiola, ahead of their Boxing Day encounter against Everton. It comes as a stringent measure to solve the club’s recent crisis, associated with their poor form.
Guardiola had initially broken the tradition by making his players train on Christmas Day, instead of giving them a much-needed break. Speaking in an interview, the Spaniard manager revealed that the team would train on both the days, ahead of their match against Everton on Boxing Day. He also noted his confidence in his players, as he went on to state that they would embrace his measure.
We train today, we train tomorrow night, we will stay over here and we are going to play on Boxing Day. Hopefully they want to be here, because it’s our job.
Pep Guardiola on Manchester City players (H/T GOAL)
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini had previously used the overnight sleeping measure back in 2014. He had then utilized the Etihad campus as a hotel before the match. The club’s training ground reportedly has 80 bedrooms, with facilities for a comfortable stay for the players.
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Siddhartha Roy
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