Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after their team placed a surprising third in the Premier League. … even likening it to winning the championship! His remarks came on the heels of City’s scintillating 2-0 home win over Fulham. That victory guaranteed their place in the Champions League for next season. The triumph was marked by goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland, showcasing the team’s resilience despite a challenging season.
Guardiola pointed to the resolve and fight of his players as they withstood the storm during the toughest points in the campaign. He admitted fate and injuries hit Manchester City very hard from the beginning, making their success all the more impressive.
“It’s like a title, (due to) the obstacles,” – Guardiola
A Challenging Season
The season was not without challenges for Manchester City, as injuries to key players affected player selection and on-field performance. Guardiola mentioned numerous players that were important absences for their game against Fulham, such as Jack Grealish. The manager pointed out that six players were unavailable for their last match. Moreover, five others have missed the last match.
Even after these misses, Guardiola was still high on his new squad’s potential. He emphasized that the distance to Arsenal was not insurmountable, stating, “At the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it.”
Looking Ahead
As Guardiola takes stock of the season, he suggested there could be changes to the squad ahead of next season’s campaign. He noted that though there wouldn’t be a big wave of new entrants, notably some new players might still appear.
“I am the person who fought for him to come here, and to stay in the last season,” – Guardiola
His statements indicate an interest in getting the roster trimmed down and making the team a more competitive unit going forward. Guardiola’s focus on improvement signals his ambition to close the gap with top rival Liverpool while continuing to challenge Arsenal.
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