Pep Guardiola: “We got the best Real Madrid in recent years”
Manchester City manager praises opponent but insists he wants to stay at the English club
After the defeat that saw Manchester City exit the UEFA Champions League , Pep Guardiola , the Citizens’ coach, analysed the match against the “best Real Madrid in recent years” and the team’s current form, which, he says, is not “eternal”.
“I didn’t feel powerless watching the team. We have been a strong team and, for various reasons, this year we are not. We have achieved unique things in our country and, in Europe, we have won once and we are always in the decisive stages. We have to make decisions in the team to be able to reach fourth or fifth place and be in the Champions League next year”, explained the coach, who spoke about the need to renew the team: “Not everything is eternal, some players are already a bit old. In the Premier League we have been winning, we want to be in the Champions League. The reinforcements arrived at the best time.”
Guardiola has nothing but praise for his opponents. “In Europe, we have done well against Real Madrid in recent years, we have played jaw-dropping games. But this year they have been better and we have to congratulate them. They have very good dynamics and are capable of sinking us. We don’t have the rhythm that Real Madrid have at the moment. If we always play up and down the pitch, they are very good. We faced the best Real Madrid in recent years, they are capable of having wide possessions, defending, running, having a high block, a low block. There is nothing to say, we have to congratulate them”, says the Spaniard.
Despite this, according to the coach, there are more favourites to win the trophy, such as «Liverpool, Barça or PSG», but Manchester City’s Champions League performance was not positive: «When you finish 22nd in the league stage it is because we have not been good. This is the year we have been worst.» Even so, there is one guarantee: «I really want to continue at Manchester City»
