Manchester City is taking on Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday, but after a bad campaign in the Premier League and Champions League, they only have one trophy
Pep Guardiola says that this season has been a brutal reality check for Manchester City – but one from which he believes they will come back stronger.
City, Premier League champions for the last four seasons, are currently fifth in the table and threatens to miss the Champions League for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign. Guardiola did not succeed in reaching the Champions League for the first time as a manager as a manager, with the FA Cup and a top-four place the only goals that remain for the soon-defined champions.
Against that background, City and England -midfielder Phil Foden admitted that the difficulties of this season had let him appreciate his success in the city much more and did not consider it a matter of course. Guardiola, who won 18 trophies in City in nine years, repeated Foden and claims that the experience of this season will only serve to make him and his players better next season.
“You always learn at the right moments,” said Guardiola. “We also learn at the bad moments. Sometimes the experiences can happen many, many times and, if you don't learn, you have the problems again and again. Of course it is of course a good lesson for me, personal
“I learned a lot – and hopefully for the club. When I said in the past – and the people said,” Ah, Pep is naive ” – that qualification for the Champions League is a huge success, the people didn't believe me. Now they believe me.”
Guardiola also claimed that the Premier League could give a verdict on the 115 charges with which the city is confronted – which was disputed during the international break – was not a distraction for him or his players.
“No,” said Guardiola. “We have been with that for more than a year, so nothing changes with another week, two more weeks or three more weeks. Or four more weeks.”
From more direct care for Guardiola is the FA Cup quarterfinal-equal game on Sunday in Bournemouth, where City will reach a seventh consecutive semifinal.
“To reach the semi -final of the FA Cup for the seventh time in a row – this is the target,” said Guardiola.
“We achieved the record last season and reached six seasons in a row halfway through the final. That shows how important it is to arrive in this competition.
“We take it seriously as if we have taken the Carabao Cup in the past to win four in a row. The results that we don't know, but we have to take it seriously. To try to reach Wembley will be fun.
“After that, the goal is to win competitions to qualify for the Champions League next season. Try to win against Bournemouth, and then we will prepare for Leicester on Wednesday.”
Bournemouth defeated City earlier this season and Guardiola was able to expect a test on the side of Andoni Iraola, who belong to one of the Premier League parties that insist on a Champions League place.
“They have a specific way to play and it works,” he said. “They have had a very good season so far and have quality players with the ideas they have.
“So we have to read the game. They were our first defeat in the Premier League this season.”
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