Ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League debut, Pep Guardiola made a vow before the start of the competition vs FC Porto.
This could be Pep Guardiola’s last chance to win some silverware in the UEFA Champions League at Manchester City. Ever since he arrived at the club, the Catalan coach came with the ultimate goal to win this competition. Even though he has won all the other tournaments, we all know what the real focus is.
Last season’s elimination against Olympique Lyon was one of the last times Pep will get the patience from the board. If the Citizens don’t win this season’s tournament, he will either get the sack or he will resign. You can talk about all the excuses for Guardiola’s lack of good results, but the bottom line is that he hasn’t been able to win. Now that a new season starts with a fresh squad, Pep made a vow to fight for this trophy one more time.
Guardiola feels the title is closer.
“I have the feeling that we are close, every season when I analyze the way we went out,” said Pep via Goal ahead of City’s opener against Porto.
“I felt we are close but at the same time we make mistakes that make you feel we don’t deserve to go through.
“For clubs who are used to being in the later stages it’s easier but having won the domestic titles the next [target for us] is the Champions League and we had a good opportunity.
“Now it’s a new opportunity and I believe. We talk about this and we have to do things differently. When you review the games; Liverpool, Tottenham, Lyon, I always had the feeling we were close, they were not better than us, none of them. There are little gaps but we have to solve them.
“When you don’t go through it’s because you don’t deserve it. And that’s all.”
“It was a tough moment, I felt responsible for this,” he said about getting eliminated by Lyon last season.
“How the club and players fought – I was not able to drive them on. I feel responsible watching the game, we were not good enough, we didn’t play bad.
“We had really good moments but made mistakes and in this competition you cannot do it.
“The reality is every team and manager has to dream with high expectations but the reality is we have not performed to the level.
“We have to accept it with humility, accept all the bad situations, improve and go through and accept a new challenge, start from zero again and try again knowing we have to improve, knowing the demands are so high.
“I feel so bad for the players but this is a new opportunity and we start again.”
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