Izuchukwu OkosiManchester City manager Pep Guardiola has leapt to the defense of his side after going through the 2024/2025 season without a title to their credit.
City headed into the campaign at the back of their four Premier League titles on the trot but witnessed unarguably their worst season since the club became one of Europe’s elite clubs after their purchase by the oil rich UAE owners.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelReflecting on the season which they would go without a title in eight years, the Spaniard spoke to the media ahead of Tuesday’s rescheduled game against Bournemouth.
“Of course, it’s important to qualify, but except for Newcastle who won the Carabao Cup, Liverpool who won the Premier League and Manchester City that won the Community Shield – the other teams didn’t win trophies,” Guardiola reiterates at his Monday press conference.
“So the other teams like Chelsea, who can win one title (Europa Conference League) against Real Betis, and (Manchester) United and Tottenham can win the Europa League.
“All the other teams, they are expecting of course to qualify for the Champions League but this is important for every club that play this competition next year.
“We played a really good (FA Cup) final, not enough to win it, and we have the last two games, we need four points to be in the Champions League next year and this is enough and everyone has to be aware of that,” Guardiola posited.
City, now in sixth place on the league table, would need to beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night and hope Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United falter in the last day of the season.
Liverpool have been confirmed as champions-elect while Arsenal will finish as runners up.
Six English clubs will play in the UEFA Champions League next season with two slated for the Europa League and one for the Conference League.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
