Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has opened up on how his side have had to cope without a number of key players throughout the season as they look to secure a top-four spot
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Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has referenced a claim Jose Mourinho made at Manchester United
(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Pep Guardiola has stated that securing a Champions League spot will be one of his best achievements at Manchester City, given their challenges this season.
City have spent most of the season without Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and have suffered a string of injuries to crucial players, with prolific striker Erling Haaland being the latest casualty. In light of these circumstances, Guardiola said those who assumed City would qualify for the Champions League every season have been proven wrong.
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When he was Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho once declared that finishing second to City in 2018 was one of his finest managerial accomplishments, considering the gap between the two teams. While Guardiola may have clinched the treble at City, the 54-year-old suggested that qualifying for the Champions League - marking the club's 15th consecutive year in Europe's top competition - would be another significant milestone for him.
"Getting to the Champions League next season will be an incredible success, just for the fact of being there, for the problems that we've had," Guardiola admitted. "I understand when Jose said this quote. For the club, for next season, we want to play in the Champions League.
"I said this before, a thousand million times, that people take for granted that City are going to be in the Champions League every season. I know how difficult it is. Otherwise, all the important teams would be in the Champions League every season, but it didn't happen like that.
"We're the only one in the last, I don't know how many years, who have been there. This kind of thing I give a lot of importance to because it's the consistency I've always been looking for as a manager."
Erling Haaland had to come off after picking up an injury against Bournemouth
Erling Haaland had to come off after picking up an injury against Bournemouth
(Image: Harry Murphy/Danehouse)
As City prepare to welcome Leicester on Wednesday, they currently sit fifth in the Premier League, a mere four points ahead of 10th-placed Bournemouth. The battle for the Champions League spots is expected to continue until the final day of the season.
Discussing City's struggle for consistency and the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League, Guardiola explained: "We're the only one in the last, I don't know how many years, who have been [in the competition]. This kind of thing I give a lot of importance to, because it's the consistency I've always been looking for as a manager.
"It wasn't possible to do it in the Premier League this season and this is the worst Champions League campaign we've done since I've been here. But look at the FA Cup - seven semi-finals in a row. The people say, 'Yeah, but you play teams in the Championship and in League One'.
Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has spoken about the difficulties Manchester City have faced this season
(Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)
"Maybe we won't win the FA Cup, but we've been there. In the Premier League, we've not been there, in the Champions League, we've not been there. But in the FA Cup, we've been there."
This season, City falling out of the title picture and facing a fight for a Champions League spot sent shockwaves through the footballing world. The club began to overhaul the squad in the January transfer window, but Guardiola pins most of the blame on the injuries his team have endured.
"This season has been so weird, so difficult," Guardiola said. "First of all, we didn't have the players. That's the main reason. After that, there are a lot of other factors, but especially this one.
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"You can't compete in all of the competitions when you don't have the players. The treble? We couldn't win the treble without all the players. The double? We couldn't win the double without the players."
Optimistic about the closing stages of the season, Guardiola concluded: "And this season it happened. We had to play a lot without them now we're in the last moments [of the season] and we'll be good. We have nine games, nine finals, and we're going to try next season to be in the Champions League."